


Ever, Ever, After

by Gem1620



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted (2007) Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-10-25 05:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17719130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gem1620/pseuds/Gem1620
Summary: Juvia is a beautiful maiden living in the magical kingdom of Alvarez and is about to marry the brave Prince Natsu until his evil stepmother banishes her to the modern world of Magnolia. Lost and confused she meets Gray Fullbuster a charming lawyer living with his sweet sister Wendy and about to propose to his romantic girlfriend Lucy Heartfilia. Gray agrees to help Juvia but he has no idea what he's getting himself into.





	1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time in the magical land of Alvarez there lived a good king called Igneel who ruled wisely and fairly however he was a sad and lonely king because his beloved queen had died giving birth to their first child. One day he remarried again but shortly after the wedding he died of a mysterious illness leaving Alvarez under the rule of his second wife Irene. But she was an evil queen who ruled with an iron fist. Selfish and cruel, she feared that one day her stepson Prince Natsu would marry and she would lose her throne forever.

And so when the prince reached marriagble age she did everything in her power to prevent him from ever finding true love and sharing true love's kiss. Laxus her lackey who was infatuated with her would keep the prince busy by releasing trolls and other types of monsters into the kingdom then Natsu would hunt them down and capture them along with his best friend Happy a talking cat with wings. 

"Look out below!" Natsu shouted as the troll he captured fell to the ground with standing triumphantly on him.

"Amazing sire." Laxus said. "Your tenth troll this month. You must be very proud." 

"I guess." 

"You guess? Is something troubling you my lord?" 

"It's nothing." 

"Not true." Happy said. "He's upset because he wants to get married." 

"Married?!" Laxus said. "Now? Sire it's much too early to consider marriage don't you think? And don't you enjoy troll hunting?"

"Troll hunting does pass the time but I've grown bored with it. I want to settle down and take a wife." 

"But sire all the beauties in the kingdom are already married, all that's left now are old hags and ugly women." 

"Surely there must be one beautiful unmarried maiden out there." 

"Believe me there are none." 

That was a lie but it was Laxus's job to make sure Natsu never married.

"What shame. Oh well we better get back to the castle I hear a storm is coming tonight." 

The prince, his servant, and his faithful animal companion made their way back to the palace when suddenly and without warning a horrible storm broke out. Thunder clapped, lighting fladhed, rain poured and flooded, and powerful wind currents blew. They were halfway home when one incredibly strong wind blew Happy away.

"Happy!" Natsu shouted trying to grab his friend but he couldn't reach him and poor Happy was blown out of his sight.

"We have to save him!" Natsu declared.

"No Sire! Not now! We must wait until the storm clears or we'll most likely be washed away." Laxus objected.

Natsu didn't want to wait but his servant insisted so reluctantly he went into the castle and waited with baited breath for the storm to clear up unfortunately the storm didn't end until morning. 

As for Happy he had been blown far out, deep into the forest where a beautiful maiden called Juvia lived in a small cottage with the animals. Though she enjoyed living the quiet and peaceful life with her animal friends she often dreamed of one day falling in love and living happily ever after just like in the stories she would read as a child. This morning when she went down to the river to do her laundry she found poor Happy lying by the bank unconscious and dripping wet. 

"Oh you poor thing!" She gasped when she found him. With great gentleness and care the picked up Happy and listened for a pulse. His heart was still beating and he was still breathing. "Oh thank goodness you're still alive. I better get you inside and warm you up." 

When Happy woke up he was laying on a soft cushion wrapped up in a warm blanket. 

"Huh? Where am I?" 

"In my cottage." Juvia said. "I see you're awake. I hope you feel better."

"Who are you?"

"My name's Juvia."  

"How did I get here?" 

"I found you passed out by the river and brought you here to warm you up. I hope you're hungry because I've got your breakfast right here." 

She served him a bowl of milk and a plate of fish his favorite. He immediately began to devour the fish and slurp up the milk.

"I see that your appetite hasn't been effected by your little mishap." Juvia giggled. "Do you have a home? Or are you homless?" 

"I live with Natsu." 

"Who's he?" 

"He's my best friend and he's the prince." 

"He's the prince? Wow I've always dreamed of meeting a handsome prince, falling in love, and doing the most romantic thing a couple could ever do." 

"Feed each other fish?" 

"No silly. Share true love's kiss." 

"So you want to settle down and get married?" 

"Oh yes! I dream about it all the time." 

"Interesting." Happy thought for a moment. "This girl might be the one Natsu has been searching for." 

"So would you like to stay here until your friend finds you? Or maybe we should look for him?" 

"No has a strong sense of smell so he'll find me in no time." 

"Oh well if guests may come over, especially royal guests then I better make some tea." 

She went into the kitchen and began to prepare the tea. Then there was a knock at the door. It was Natsu, as soon as the storm cleared he began sniffing out Happy's scent until it lead him to Juvia's cottage. 

"Happy are you in there?" Natsu called from behind the door.

"I'm right here pal." Happy replied.

Natsu opened the door, rwn into the cottage, and grabbed Happy into a huge hug.

"Oh Happy I was so worried! Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. This nice lady found me, warmed me up, and gave me fish. She saved my life." 

"Really? Then I should thank her and reward her for her service. Where is she?" 

"In the kitchen." 

"Okay." He walked in the kitchen where Juvia had her back turned and was making tea at her stove. "Excuse Miss, I apologize for entering your home uninvited I was just extremely concerned over my friend Happy." 

"Oh that's alright I can understand." She started to turn around. "I know how scary it can be to lose a-" 

But she found herself unable to finish when she saw how handsome Natsu was. He was also speechless having become stricken by her beauty.

"Oh my gosh...You're...You're really the prince huh?" She said blushing.

"Yes I...I am...And you are?" 

"I'm who? Oh! Sorry I'm Juvia." 

"I...I wanted to thank you for taking care of Happy." 

"It was no trouble at all your highness." 

"Please call me Natsu after all formalities are not needed between a husband and wife. That is if you'll have me?" 

"Oh yes I will!" She cried happily.

"We shall be married in the morning!" He announced. 

Juvia was so happy. After waiting for so long her dream of true love and getting married to a prince was finally going to come true. Or at least that's what she thought because unknown to the both of them Natsu's stepmother Queen Irene was spying on them using her magic.

"So this is the little forest rat who thinks she can steal my throne." She sneered. "NEVER!" 

With that flaming roar of anger the evil queen made it her mission to rid Alvarez of Juvia.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Juvia arrived at the castle eager to be happily married. Happy and Laxus were already there waiting to meet her.

"Am I late?" She asked Laxus. "I do hope I'm not late." 

"No, no, just in time." 

"Oh thank goodness. So where do I go to get dressed?" 

"Right this way." Happy said pointing down the hall. Juvia excitedly went down the hallway. "Natsu sure is excited. I'm sure that- Hey!" 

"And just where do you think you're doing?" Laxus said grabbing Happy by his tail.

"What do you mean? I'm going to help her and Natsu get ready." 

"Oh no you don't! A royal wedding is no place for vermin now get out." 

He then threw Happy out of the castle and slammed the doors.

"Oh and what do I look like? Garbage?! Close the door on me?! I'm the best man! Actually the best cat." 

Inside Laxus was trying to stall Juvia for as long as he could to prevent her from getting ready for the wedding and marrying Natsu.

"Is something wrong Laxus? You seem nervous." She said.

"No. I'm fine." 

"Oh I can hardly believe that in just a few moments Natsu and I will be married. It all seems to good to be true." 

Just then she was startled by an old hag in a cloak. 

"What's the matter dearie? Did I frighten you?" She asked grinning at Juvia with her crooked teeth.

"Well you did startle me." 

"Oh I apologize, believe me an old woman like myself would never harm anyone. So where are you off to in such a hurry?" 

"Well I'm on my way to get married." 

"What wonderful news." 

"Yes and I believe that I'm running late so I better hurry." 

"Oh wait! Granny has a wedding gift for you child." 

"Oh thank you but I really don't think-" 

"But it's a wishing well dear." 

The old hag was persistent, she sized Juvia by her wrist and pulled her away into the royal garden and toward a beautiful, white, marble well with crystal blue water flowing down. Just above them stood Happy who had managed to sneak back into the castle. 

"Why if I ever see that fat mook's face again I'm gonna- Hey what are they doing?" He said noticing Juvia and the hag.

"Trust me dear a wish on your wedding day is the most magical thing of all." The hag said pushing Juvia toward the well. "Just close your eyes my darling and make a wish." 

Juvia was a little skeptic about this but the old woman seemed to be fairly harmless so she decided to be polite and humor her. 

"Be sure to lean in real close." The hag told her. 

Juvia leaned over the well, closed her eyes, and started to make a wish. Suddenly the hag gave Juvia a hard shove from behind causing her to fall down the well. 

"Juvia!" Happy gasped and flew off to find Natsu. "Oh no! Help! Natsu we need help!" 

"Speciosus, formosus, praeclarus." As the old hag chanted those words her firm began to change revealing herself to be Queen Irene in disguise.

"My most adored queen." Laxus asked. "Where did you send her?" 

"To a place where there are no happily ever afters." 

...

Down and down Juvia fell screaming and trying somehow to stop her fall only to fail in the process. Finally she reached the bottom of the well and found herself being shot like cannon ball upward and against something hard. 

"Ow!" She cried when she hit it. "My goodness what a fall. I must've leaned in a little too far. Hmm...I wonder what this thing is." 

The thing she had hit was round and metal. Like a lid, in fact it was a lid. It was the lid of a large hole. She grabbed the lid, lifted it up, and began to climb out of the hole. She soon found herself in a world that she was very unfamiliar with. 

"Where on earth am I?" 

Juvia turned to see that she was about to be hit by something she had never seen before. It had four wheels and two shinning lights, to her it was a carriage with no horses but that was known as a car and luckily for her the car stopped. 

"Hey get out of the way!" The man driving the car shouted angrily. 

"Sorry!" 

She was standing in the middle of a busy street and quickly moved to a side walk only to get swept away by a huge crowd of people who weren't exactly a friendly bunch.

"Hey watch it will ya?!" 

"Move aside!" 

"You're in the way!" 

"Move it!" 

"Sorry." Juvia said. "Excuse me, pardon me, I'm terribly sorry. Excuse me but could one of you tell me where I am?" 

But none of them answered her question and by the time the huge crowd had cleared Juvia felt like she had been trampled by a stampede of cattle. 

"Well it would seem that those people had more important things to do than help me." She said brushing dirt off of herself. "The people in this kingdom sure are in a hurry. I wonder what they're all worked up about."

She then continued to wonder around this strange place and try to find someone who could help her. Meanwhile somewhere else in this kingdom...Well actually this wasn't a kingdom it was actually a city. A city called Magnolia which was modern and had absolutely no magic at all. Anyway somewhere else in Magnolia there lived Gray Fullbuster. A rather cynical lawyer living with his sister Wendy and at the moment was trying to settle a divorce between his clients Gajeel and Levy Redfox. 

"No! There is no way you're getting him!" Levy shouted at her soon to be ex husband. 

"You just want him because I want him!" Gajeel shouted back at his soon to be ex wife. "Panther Lily is coming with me!" 

"Guys I'm confused here. Who's Panther Lily?" Gray asked them.

"He's my cat." Gajeel said.

"Our cat!" Levy corrected. 

"A cat? That's what this all comes down to?" Gray said. 

"You never loved Panther Lily like I did!" Gajeel argued.

"You never loved me like you loved Panther Lily!" Levy accused.

"What did I ever did do to make you so mad?!" 

"Why don't you ask yourself what you didn't do you iron hearted jerk!" 

"Oh brother." Gray sighed.

"Mr. Fullbuster?" It was Mirajane Gray's receptionist. "Sorry to interrupt but it's time to go." 

"Oh thank God! See you guys tomorrow." 

Gray then got out of there as quick is he could.

"Talk about a dysfunctional marriage." Gray complained. "No wonder they're getting a divorce."

"Even after all that do you still wanna get married?" Mirajane asked him.

"Oh come on Lucy and I aren't like that." 

"Constantly bickering?" 

"No and you wanna know why?" 

"Why?" 

"Because we don't get in volved in that crazy, lovey dovey, romantic stuff." 

"Correct me if I'm wrong Gray but isn't that crazy, lovey dovey, romantic stuff what draws people into marriage in the first place?" 

"Well yes but that's for marriages that end too soon. What we have is a partnership." 

"You make it sound like she's a business associate. So have you told Wendy?" 

"Not yet I'm telling her tonight." 

"Good luck." 

"Thanks. See you tomorrow Mirajane."


	3. Chapter 3

That evening Gray went to pick up Wendy from school. Wendy was Gray's younger sister who he loved very much and had cared for since she was a baby. She was pretty much the only family he had now.

"How was school?" He asked her.

"It was okay. How was work?" 

"Crazy as usual. Listen I got you something." 

"Is it a kitty?" 

"No it's not a kitty." He handed her a wrapped up present. When Wendy unwrapped her gift she found that her present was a book about the history of different lands. 

"A book?" She said disappointed.

"Now don't give me that look. I know it's not that fairy tale book you wanted but I thought this was better and that it would help you a lot in history class." 

"Alright Gray what is it?" 

"What's what?" 

"The only time you ever get me a present albeit a lousy one is when it's the holidays or when you're about to do something that might upset me. Now it's not Christmas or my birthday so what are you up to?" 

"Okay you got me. You know my girlfriend Lucy? You like her right?" 

"Yeah." 

"Wendy I'm going to ask Lucy to marry me." 

"What? But you can't marry her." 

"Now Wendy I know you've always liked it when it was just the two of us but believe me having Lucy in our lives isn't going to be bad." 

"Gray-" 

"And don't worry you'll always be my number one girl." 

"Gray I'm not talking about that. I already know that no girl you date is goingto take my place and I know you're lonely so I don't mind if you get married." 

"So what's the problem?" 

"You don't love Lucy." 

"What are you talking about? Of course I love her." 

"You love her like you love me or Mirajane but you don't love her like you wanna marry her." 

"Yes I do. What makes you say that." 

"Pictures." 

"Pictures?" 

"Of your parents. I've seen them together in those pictures you always showed me. You don't look at Lucy the same way your dad looked at your mom." 

"Wendy you're only eight years old you can't possibly know anything about that kind of love. Believe me I love Lucy the exact same way my father loved my mother." 

"So you say." She mumbled. "Gray can I ask you something?" 

"Sure." 

"My mom loved me right?" 

"Of course she did. She loved you more than anything in the world." 

"Did my father love me?" 

"I...I don't know." 

"I know he didn't want me. I read in one of Mom's letters. Why didn't he want me?" 

"I don't know. I really don't know. But I do know that he didn't deserve you or your mother."

Wendy sighed and looked out the window of the taxi to watch the rain fall. Then she spotted Juvia standing on top of a billboard. 

"Gray look there's a girl on the billboard out there." 

"No it's not it's a mannequin." 

"No Gray she's really there! Come see!"

"Wendy that's not- Wendy come back!"

Wendy got out of the taxi and ran across the street toward the billboard. Gray quickly went after her.

"Wendy are you crazy?! You could have been hit by a car!"

"But look!" 

Gray turned in the direction of where his sister was pointing and saw that the mannequin was indeed a real woman and she didn't look like a worker so why was she up there? 

"Hey you! What are you doing up there?" Gray called.

But by doing that he startled Juvia into losing her balance and falling off the billboard. Gray quickly went to catch her and she ended up crash landing on to him. 

"Ow!" Gray groaned.

"Oh my goodness are you okay? I am so sorry." She said.

"I'm good what about you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine thank you."  She quickly got off of him and helped him to his feet.

"What were you doing up there?" He asked.

"I was trying to figure out where I am. I'm lost, I'm tired, and nobody's been very nice to me." 

"Yeah well welcome to Magnolia." 

"Thank you."

Gray may have been cynical but he didn't have the heart to leave a lost woman alone in the pouring rain so he decided to call her a cab or something back at his apartment. During the trip back Juvia began explaining how she ended up there. Hearing her story Gray wasn't sure if Juvia was mentally stable. 

"So is this a habit of yours? Falling off stuff?" He asked her.

"Well usually someone catches me." She replied. "Someone like Natsu." 

"Who?" 

"He's my prince. Once he finds me we'll be married and share true love's kiss." 

"True love's kiss?" 

"Yes. It's the most powerful thing in the world." 

"Uh-huh....Look do you have a place you can stay at?" 

"No but I'm sure I can find a cottage or little house somewhere." 

"Magnolia doesn't have any little houses or cottages." 

"Then what does this place have?" 

"Apartments." 

"What's that?" 

"You're kidding right?" 

"No." 

"Oh brother. Just where in the world did you say you're from again?" 

"Alvarez. A magical kingdom where everyone lives happily." 

"Is there really magic there?" Wendy asked. 

"Yep." 

"Cool. I wish I could live there." 

"Wendy magic isn't real you know that." Gray said.

"No magic is real." Juvia said. "But there doesn't seem to be any here." 

"Noooo. Ya think?" 

"Gray don't be rude." Wendy scolded. 

When they got to the apartment Gray began to look up what this Alvarez place was but for some reason he couldn't find any information about it. Wendy helped Juvia get settled in.

"Are you really a princess?" Wendy asked her.

"Not yet but I will be." Juvia yawned. She was so tired, being out in the rain had made her so cold and Gray's apartment was so warm that she found herself laying on the apartment couch and falling fast asleep. Her day had been real busy and she needed a good night sleep.

"Gray she's really sleepy." Wendy told her brother. 

"Oh no that's not good. I can't have her sleep here." 

"You're not going to make her leave are you?" 

"Wendy go to bed." 

"Don't make her leave Gray. At least let her stay until morning. She's so tired." 

"Wendy we can't let a strange woman we just met sleep over." 

"But she's not a strange woman. She's a princess." 

"She's not a princess. She is a very confused woman." 

"But she's beautiful and sweet like a princess." 

"Not all beautiful, sweet girls are princesses. Now go to sleep. Good night Wendy." 

He kissed her forehead and sent her off to bed. He then went to into the living room, grabbed the phone, and started to call a cab. As he waited for the other line to pick up he watched Juvia as she slept. She looked so peaceful and cute that way that Gray decided that maybe there wasn't any harm letting her stay for one night. Right?


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Happy finally managed to find Natsu and tell him what happened to Juvia. The young prince immediately set out to find her.

"Fear not Juvia I will rescue you!" He declared diving head first into the well.

"Yeah but who's gonna rescue me?!" Happy shouted following after him.

Upon reaching the bottom the two were then shot upward out of the manhole and into Magnolia where several construction men were working on the man hole.

"Whoa! Hey buddy!" One of the workers said.

"Silence!" Natsu said pulling a sword on him. "Your name peasant! Quickly!"

"Macao. Macao Conbolt."

"Are you in league with the wicked old hag who sent my poor Juvia to this foul place Macao?"

Before he could answer Happy popped right out from the manhole and landed in Natsu's hand.

"Well Happy is this man part of this evil plot?"

Happy tired to tell Natsu no but all that came out was...

"Meow!" He tried again to speak but again all he could say was. "Meow! Meow! Meow!"

"Happy what happened to your voice? And where did your wings go?"

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

"Huh...It would seem that this strange world has left Happy speechless." He then turned back to Macao. "So what say you sir? Don't try my patience."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I seek a beautiful girl."

"I'd like to find one of those too you know."

"Then keep a warey eye Macao. Come along Happy."

Natsu and his companion then set off to search for Juvia. Speaking of Juvia, she woke up to find herself in a very messy apartment. Dirty dishes, laundry, dusty furniture, bathrooms with mildew in the sink and bathtub, and trash everywhere.

"Oh my." She said. "What a mess. I never thought such nice people could live like this."

Suddenly Juvia got an idea. To thank Gray and Wendy for their hospitality she decided to clean up their apartment. But with a mess this big she was going to need some help. Opening the nearest window she let out a sing-song call that summoned various animals to the apartment. As soon as they heard her voice birds, squirrels, and rabbits came flying and running to her aid.

"Alright everyone let's tidy things up. Birds do the dishes and take out the trash, rabbits do the laundry and dust the furniture, squirrels clean the bathroom, and I'll sweep and scrub the floor."

Juvia and the animals began cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. Before long the entire apartment was spotless with every single area cleaned to perfection. Once the apartment was neat and clean Juvia decided to freshen up in the now clean bathroom. A couple minutes later Wendy woke up to get some breakfast but was shocked to find animals in her living room.

"Gray!" She shouted running to her brother's bedroom. His body was laying off the edge of his bed and he was only wearing pants. Wendy jumped into his bed and began hitting him with a pillow. "Gray wake up! Wake up!"

"What? What is it?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Gray you have to come see this! Hurry!"

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you! You have to come see! Hurry! Hurry!"

"Alright I'm up! I'm up!"

As soon as he was awake Wendy grabbed him by his arm and began pulling him into the living room.

"What the?!" He shouted when he saw the animals. "What is this? A petting zoo? Get out! Out! Go on! Shoo! Amscre!"

Gray and Wendy chased the animals out of their apartment and closed up all the doors and windows to keep them from coming back in.

"Wendy I know that you want a pet but wasn't that a little too much?"

"It wasn't me Gray. They were here when I woke up."

"Did you leave the door open again?"

"No."

"The window?"

"No I swear."

"Then where the heck-"

But he was cut off by the sound of a water running and singing coming from the bathroom.

"Hello?" He said knocking on the bathroom door.

"Come in."

Gray opened the door and his face turned blood red when he walked into the bathroom to see Juvia getting out of the shower, wearing a bath towel.

"Oh good morning Gray." She said. "I hope you had nice dreams."

"I think I'm still in one."

"This room is so magical. Where does water come from?"

"The water comes from the pipes."

"And where did the pipes get it?"

"I don't know I'm not a plumber."

"This thing that you bathe in? What's it called?"

"A shower."

"Oh I wish we had showers back in Alvarez."

"Oh no don't tell me you don't bathe back where you're from."

"Oh no I bathed all the time in the river."

"The river? Are you a hippie or something?"

"What's a hippie?"

"Nevermind."

At that moment there was a knock at the door. Wendy went to answer it, at the door was a pretty blonde. She was Lucy Heartfilia a fashion designer and Gray's girlfriend.

"Hi Wendy." She said.

"Hi Lucy what are you doing here?"

"Didn't Gray tell you? I was going to take you to school today. Hey why are you still in PJ's?"

"It's been pretty weird around here."

"Wow. It sure is clean in here." She said observing the apartment. "Did you guys get a maid?"

"No. Not exactly."

In the bathroom Gray was trying to wipe up some water that had accidentally been spilled on to the floor from the shower.

"Don't worry my friends will take care of that." Juvia assured him.

She once again made a sing-song call and two birds came flying through the bathroom window. But they flew right into Gray causing him to fall over and accidentally pull Juvia on top of him.

"Ow!" Gray groaned.

"Oh!" Juvia gasped.

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay are you hurt."

"No I just- Lucy?"

He turned over to see that Lucy was standing at the end of the hallway. Needless to say she wasn't happy to see another woman wearing only a bath towel laying on top of Gray who wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Oh hello." Juvia said smiling.

"Who is this?" Lucy asked getting upset.

"This...This is nothing! Nothing!"

Lucy turned to leave. Gray quickly shoved Juvia off of him and ran to stop her.

"Lucy wait! It's not what it looks like!"

"Oh really? Do you think I'm stupid Gray? Who is she?"

"Nobody! She's just some woman who got lost and I was trying to help her."

"Help her what? Find the shower?"

"Lucy we really need to talk."

"Talk about what Gray? How I never stay the night? How you always say that because Wendy's here we have maintain boundaries and I think how lucky I am because you're sensitive! But now I realize that you were worried about crowd control!"

"Lucy wait you said that you would take Wendy to school! You're still going to do that right?"

"Why so you can have some alone time with Miss blue hair over here? I don't think so."

"Okay but you'll call me right?"

"Don't bet on it you pervert!"

Without another word she left the apartment while slamming the door.

"I wonder why she was so upset?" Juvia asked.

"Get dressed. Please." Gray huffed in frustration.


	5. Chapter 5

Gray tried to stop Lucy from leaving but by the time he managed to catch up with her she had already hailed a taxi and was gone. When he got back to his apartment Juvia was getting dressed in another room.

"Hello?" She said when he knocked on the door.

"You know what you have to go." Gray told her. "I don't care if you're waiting for Prince Charming." 

"Prince Natsu." She corrected.

"Whatever! Point is I can't help you anymore! I'll get you a ride but that's it! I'm done!" 

When she came out of the room she was wearing an ocean blue sundress with a flowing skirt. It was a pretty dress and it looked great on her but Gray didn't care about that. He was more concerned about where the dress came from and the color looked very familiar.

"Where did you get that?" He asked her.

"I made it. Do you like it?" 

Looking over her shoulder he saw his new and very expensive ocean blue curtains that now had cut out holes in them.

"You made a dress out of my curtains?!" He shouted. "Are you insane?! These cost me a fortune! And they were brand new!" 

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make you unhappy." 

"Unhappy? Oh no I'm not unhappy! I'm angry!" 

"Angry?" 

"Yes it's an unpleasant emotion! Ever heard of it?!" 

"I have I've just never felt it before." 

"Well I'm feeling it all over right now! I am seething! You hear me?! Not only have you let stray animals into my house and ruined my curtains but you wrecked my relationship with Lucy! I was going to ask her to marry me but now she thinks that you and I-" 

"Kissed?" 

"Yeah... Something like that." 

"Oh no. I am so sorry but I'll help you fix your relationship with her." 

"Oh no! No! No! The only way our relationship has even a small chance of getting fixed is for me to get you back to wherever you came from." He glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Oh no! Wendy's school starts in fifteen minutes! I gotta get dressed and get her down there! You stay here, don't move, and don't do anything!" 

Gray went to get ready. Juvia just sat in the living room and waited for him and Wendy, unaware that Irene was spying on her back in Alvarez. 

"Oh wouldn't she love to just come crawling back here and steal my crown!" She sneered. "Cast me aside like some royal rubbish!" 

"Perhaps Prince Natsu won't find her?" Laxus suggested.

"Perhaps he will!" She snapped.

"You mustn't despair on that notion so much my queen. Remember Prince Natsu has terrible navigation skills." 

"But he has the nose of a blood hound and the minute he picks up that girl's scent he'll track her down in no time." 

"I wish there was something I could do." 

Just then Irene thought of an idea.

"Maybe there is. You could go there and throw him off the trail." 

"Me? Go there?" 

"Of course." She fluffing up his hair flirtatiously. "You're strong and brave and so clever. Not to mention you're the only person in the entire kingdom who's ever cared for me ever since I lost my darling husband Igneel. You know I'd be willing to do anything for you if you did this." 

Laxus blushed and smiled. He had always been crushing on Queen Irene despite the fact she was a lot older but despite her age she looked pretty good.

"Never fear my queen! I will stop him!" He then jumped down the well and like Juvia, Natsu, and Happy he came out through a man hole.

"What now? Another one?" Macao said. "Get him out of there! Let's go!" 

"Where are these people coming from?" Another worker asked.

Macao and the workers grabbed Laxus and helped him out. 

"Let me guess you're looking for a beautiful girl too?" Macao asked him.

"No I'm looking for a prince actually." 

"Right." 

On cue Laxus heard Natsu groaning in agony. He was on top of a bus and was about to puke his guts out. He swallowed the vomit in his mouth, stood up on his feet, and pulled out his sword.

"You've met your match foul beast!" 

He then stabbed the bus as hard as he could causing the bus to stop.

"Oh thank heaven!" He sighed in relief as his stomach began to settle.

Natsu thought he had gotten trapped on some horrible beast made of steel that was moving. Natsu having terrible motion sickness found himself feeling utterly miserable as he rode on top of it. Imagine his relief when it finally stopped but the passengers on the bus weren't too happy and neither was the bus driver. An angry scarlet haired woman came rampaging out of the bus and glared at Natsu with eyes filled with firey anger.

"Are you crazy?! Nobody stabs my bus! I'll tear you apart!" She screamed.

"Ugh! A witch!" Natsu said making a break for it.

"Don't you run away from me! Come back here and take your punishment like a man!" She shouted running after him.

Laxus immediately followed them. Just across from where they were Lucy was getting out of her taxi and about to go to work when she caught sight of the red head pinning Natsu down and trying to strangle him. She recognized the red head as her friend Erza and she knew Erza had a nasty temper and a violent nature so she decided to stop her friend before she did something that could get her in trouble. 

"Ow! No! Not the face!" Natsu shouted in pain.

"You're going to pay for what you did to my bus!" Erza cried. 

"Madame please!" Laxus said trying to pry her off of Natsu. "Allow me to explain-"

"Laxus! Oh buddy am I glad to see you! Get this crazy witch off of me will ya?!" Natsu begged.

"You?! A friend of his?!" Erza seethed at Laxus. "Come here and mess up my ride?! I'll tear you both apart!"

"Erza stop!" Lucy said. "You don't want to get in trouble with the police again do you? Now what's going on?"

"This idiot stabbed my bus! And if he won't pay for the damages with money he'll pay in another way!" She said cracking her knuckles.

"All I did was kill a horrible beast! I have no idea what this bus you speak of is!" Natsu said.

"What are you talking about? You mean you don't know what a bus is?" Lucy asked.

"No but I'm convinced that it's a hideous monster controlled by this mad witch!"

"Mad witch?!" Erza snarled. "Why you-"

"Here I'll pay for the damages." Lucy said handing Erza a wad of cash.

"You sure?"

"Yes just don't kill the guy and don't worry I'll handle him you just get out of here and cool off."

"Fine but this is not over!" She gave Natsu the 'I'm watching you look' and left.

Lucy rolled her eyes and helped Natsu to his feet.

"Thank you for saving me." Natsu told her. "I am in your debt."

"Don't mention it but who are you and what on earth were you doing?"

"I am Prince Natsu of Alvarez and I have come to this strange land in search of my true love Juvia."

"Huh-uh. Okay are you in some kind of theater trope?"

"He speaks the truth dear lady." Laxus said. "Oh sire may I suggest we search else where of your bride?"

"Good idea except I don't know where I am."

"I could show you around if you would like." Lucy offered. "And maybe take you to see a doctor so you can get your head examined."

She mumbled on the last part.

"Very well peasant, you shall be our guide in this odd world." Natsu declared. "Show us the way."

"Oooookay." Lucy said wondering weather or not she made a mistake offering to help this guy.


	6. Chapter 6

After Gray dropped Wendy off at school he took Juvia with him to work with the intention of sending her back to where she came from before things in his life went from bad to worse.

"Where have you been?" Mirajane asked him when he arrived.

"Sorry this morning was insane. Please tell me Mr. and Mrs. Redfox aren't already here?"

"Sorry Gray but I wasn't taught to lie."

"Great! How long have they been here?"

"Do you really wanna know?"

"No I don't. Mirajane see that girl over there?"

"The blue haired one looking at the fish tank?"

"Yeah."

"Who is she?"

"I have no idea but I need you to find out where she lives and get her there. My best guess is she's from a looney bin somewhere."

"Looney bin? Is she dangerous?"

"No. She's crazy but harmless. Believe me if I thought for one moment that she was dangerous I would have ditched her long ago. Just please try to get her home and make the trip cheap because I'm paying for it."

"Alright. Oh and by the way how did it go with Lucy?"

"Don't ask." Gray walked over to Juvia who was watching the fish swim around in the tank with wonder and amazement. "Juvia."

"Yes?"

"Listen Mirajane is going to get you home okay? So just stay here and tell her where you live. That's all you have to do. Understand?"

"I understand."

"Good! Great!"

He grabbed his briefcase, straightened his tie, and went upstairs to meet his cilents while Mirajane tried to get Juvia home. On the sidelines Queen Irene was spying on Juvia and Natsu through various liquids. She also used the liquids to communicate with Laxus.

"Your majesty." Laxus was in the kitchen of a diner and trying to find out where Irene was trying to communicate from.

"Laxus." A soup pot called but Laxus didn't notice. "Laxus here!"

He still didn't notice the pot.

"LAXUS!" He heard her voice shout and finally saw that it was coming from the pot. He removed the lid and found Irene's image in the soup. "Ugh! Finally! Finally! I'm boiling in here! Have you found her yet?"

"I'm afraid not my lady."

"Time is of the essence! We can't risk my stepson bringing her back."

"He won't! I'll see to it."

"No he won't I intend to make absolutely certain of it."

"But your majesty how exactly did you-" He looked up to see one of the cooks looking at him as if he was crazy. "Ever...End up tasting so delicious."

"Are you okay man?"

"I'm fine! Perfectly fine! This uh...This heat is getting to me that's all. Heh, heh."

Looking back at the soup he saw three blood red apples appear. Laxus knew them to be poisoned apples, extremely deadly fruit that were known to cause the dreaded sleeping death.

"Poison apples? You mean you want me to...Kill her? I don't know if I could do that. I'm not really big on killing girls."

"Laxus if there's ever going to be a happily ever after for us you'll have to take certain extreme measures and it won't be difficult it'll just be one bite. All it takes is one small bite to drag her down into a deep and troubled sleep and when the hands of the clock strike twelve that precious little pretender to my throne will be gone."

"But what if Natsu gets suspicious?"

"Oh please my stepson doesn't know dragons from salamanders. Believe me he won't catch on. He's an idiot just like his father was. Now tell me Laxus are you with me or against me?"

"It shall be done your majesty I swear it."

"Yes you'll find the girl at Columbus search the-"

But the conversation was cut short when a ladle scooped the soup out of the pot and into a bowl.

"Your majesty?" Laxus looked back into the pot. He didn't see Irene's image but he did see Happy's reflection. Looking up he saw Happy hiding in the cupboard and realized that the cat had heard every word of Laxus and Irene's plan. "You little!"

He immediately tried to grab Happy. The little cat quickly did everything he could to dodge Laxus's grip while scurrying over to where Natsu and Lucy were having lunch.

Lucy had concluded that Natsu was poor lost guy from a foreign country and decided to help him out. She started out by fixing the situation with him and Erza and after that she decided to treat him to lunch. He told her that he was a prince but judging by how he ate she wasn't so sure that was a fact.

"So you're a real prince are you?" Lucy asked as she watched him scarf down three hamburgers like a wild animal that hadn't eaten in days.

"Yep!" He said with his mouthful.

"Funny...You don't really eat like a prince."

"Well I'm not just a prince I'm also half dragon. You know when you become part of the royal family of Alvarez you gain the powers of the dragon."

Due to his mouth being full of food Lucy couldn't understand everything he was saying. So when he said half dragon she didn't hear that right and assumed that he was half of a different race.

"This stuff is delicious! What's it called?" Natsu asked after swallowing his third burger.

"They're called hamburgers."

"They're amazing! I must have the royal cook make these back in Alvarez. By the way peasant I never got your name."

"It's Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

"Well Lucy I appreciate you helping search for my beloved wherever she may be."

"You're welcome. I hope she's faithful unlike my beloved."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh it's nothing. It's just that I'm pretty sure my boyfriend is cheating on me but part of me thinks that maybe it's all a misunderstanding."

"Well must be. What kind of a idiot would cheat on a girl as pretty and smart and nice as you?"

"Oh...Thank you." Lucy said blushing. "That's very sweet of you to say and-"

"Meow!" Out of no where Happy jumped on to the table.

"Happy what's gotten into you?" Natsu asked.

"Sire! Sire! Please I beg of you! Don't listen to this insane little vermin!" Laxus said. He grabbed Happy and put a knife to his throat.

"Laxus what are you doing?!"

"Sire he's delirious! We need to put him down for his own good!"

"What are you talking about? Happy's fine now let him go!"

"But sire-"

"Now!"

Laxus reluctantly released Happy. As soon as the little cat caught his breath he began trying to tell Natsu and Lucy what he had seen in the kitchen. But all that came out was.

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

"Sorry buddy but I can't understand a word you're saying." Natsu said.

Happy thought for a moment then came up with the idea that if he couldn't tell Natsu what had happened then he could act them out. Using his best miming skills he began to act out a scene where Laxus was trying to kill Juvia with an apple. Unfortunately Natsu wasn't really good at reading body language and neither was Lucy.

"You have any idea what he's trying to tell me?" Natsu asked Lucy.

"Not a clue." She answered.

"I do. He's trying to say that we should split up and search for the girl." Laxus lied. "It'll be easier. Sire you go with Miss Lucy here and I shall search with Happy."

"Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow!" Happy mewed trying to object.

"Brilliant idea." Natsu agreed.

"Let's meet in the park at 3:00." Lucy suggested.

"Good. See you both at three." Laxus then grabbed Happy, waited until Natsu and Lucy left, then shoved Happy into his pocket and left in the other direction.


	7. Chapter 7

When Gray was finished with his clients he was expecting to find Juvia gone but she was still there.

"Mirajane what's going on? Why is Juvia still here? I thought you were going to get her home."

"Yes about that we have a problem." 

"What?"

"She has no drivers license, no passport, no form of I.D and I'm not sure that this place she's from actually exist."

"What place?"

"Alvernez."

"Alvarez." He corrected.

"Whatever. I called every travel agent I knew and they have never heard of it. I asked if it was a country or a city or a state but nothing."

"Oh great."

As they talked Juvia spotted Gray's clients Levy and Gajeel.

"My goodness your hair is so lovely." Juvia said to Levy. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"The man who holds your heart is very lucky."

"Would you mind telling him that?"

"Oh I'm sure he knows."

"Excuse me?" Gajeel said.

"Oh are you him?" Juvia asked. "You're a very lucky man. Just look at the way her eyes sparkle. You two must be very much in love."

"Uh Juvia can I talk to you for a moment?" Gray said pulling her aside. "They're not together."

"You mean they're not together yet?"

"No I mean they used to be together but now they're not. They're separated."

"They're separted? That's awful!" She exclaimed.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down."

"But it is awful." She turned to Levy and Gajeel. "Why are you two getting separated?"

"Well for one thing she never supported my dream of becoming a rock singer." Gajeel said.

"That's because it always kept you away from me." Levy said.

"That's it? You're separating just because of a few issues? Don't you two still love each other?"

"Juvia it's none of your business." Gray said.

"If you love each other then you shouldn't throw away what you have over a few disagreements. You should try to work them out. Don't let the person you love the most go. You belong together."

"Juvia people are staring. Mr. Redfox, Mrs. Redfox I apologize. She doesn't understand and...She's crazy. Very crazy."

"I'm not crazy."

"Now uh I'll see you both again tomorrow and again I am so very sorry about her."

He quickly pulled her out of the office before she could say anything else.

"What is wrong with you? Are you trying to get me fired?"

"No but two people who are in love getting separated is just terrible. What kind of horrible place is this?"

"Reality."

"Well I think I would have preferred to stay Alvarez."

"I think I would have preferred that you stay there too. I try to be nice, I try to help a person and what happens to me? I lose my girlfriend and I get embarrassed in front of my clients."

He took her to the park and gave her several twenty dollar bills.

"Alright here's some money. Use it to call your prince or whatever but...But that's it! I'm sorry I can't help you anymore! You're on your own now!"

"Okay. Gray I'm so sorry. You've been nothing but kind to me and all I've done is mess things up for you and believe me I never intended to especially since you're my only friend here. So I'll go, Thank you for everything you've done and I wish you only happiness."

She then left. Gray then went to hail a taxi but guilt was knawing at him to look back.

"Don't turn around." He told himself. "Don't turn around. You know you'll regret it if you do."

But eventually he caved in to his guilt and looked back to see Juvia giving money to a little old lady feeding pidgeons.

"Oh for the love of-" He groaned and walked back to the park. "What are you doing?"

"Oh Gray you're back. Gray this is Porlyuscia she saw Natsu."

"Oh did she now?"

"Yes he was the salmon haired fellow who was on the bus this morning. " Porlyuscia said. "He tried to kill me. He stabbed the bus with a sword and almost cut me into little pieces. He was insane."

"Oh fascinating." Gray said not believing a word out of her mouth. "Thank you for that information. Have a good day ma'am."

He urged Juvia along.

"What are you thinking? You can't give that woman money."

"Why not? You gave me money."

"Yeah but that was different. I was trying to help you."

"Well I wanted to help her after she told me about Natsu."

"So what's the deal with this guy? How long have you known him?"

"A day."

"You mean it feels like a day because you're so in love?"

"No a day."

"You're kidding? You've known him for one day and you're going to marry him?"

"Yes."

"But you hardly know the guy."

"I know that he's funny and sweet and strong and a pretty big eater. But most important I know that he loves me."

"Oh...Well as long as he makes you happy."

"What about you? How long have you known Lucy?"

"Five months."

"And you haven't proposed?"

"No."

"Well no wonder she's angry."

"Ha, ha very fuuny. For your information I can't afford to rush things. I want to make absolutely sure that she's the one."

"Well is she?"

"Yes she is."

"Good then you need to-"

"Hello nice lady." The two were interrupted by a man sailing snacks in the park. "Would you like a caramel apple."

"It looks good."

"No charge for the beautiful young woman."

"Really it's free?" Gray asked.

"Of course today is free caramel apple day."

"Well thank you very much kind sir." Juvia said taking the caramel apple from him.

"You're welcome Miss."

But what they didn't know was that man was Laxus in disguise and the caramel apple he gave her was poisoned.

"You know most people get to know each other before they get married. They date." Gray said.

"Date?"

"Yes. You know it's when two people go out to have dinner at a fancy restaurant or to a show and they talk."

"What do they talk about?"

"About each other, yourself, what you like and don't like. Stuff like that and if things work out you get married."

"And live happily ever after." Juvia added.

"That doesn't exist."

"Of course it does!" Juvia exclaimed accidentally throwing away the caramel apple. "Oh!"

"Hmm for a caramel apple it sure is slippery." He joked. "Anyway marriages don't always end happily you saw that with Levy and Gajeel."

"But what about you and Lucy? You know you'll live happily ever after."

"Well I don't know that for sure and I'm not even sure she'll actually marry me now."

"Well I know a way you could win her back."

"Really?"

"Yes by doing a big romantic gesture."

"I don't think so Lucy isn't into that whole romantic stuff."

"Don't be silly every woman loves romance. Now let's see what you could do. First you should send her a gift like a love note or flowers and then you could plan a romantic activity the two of you could do later."

"Like what?"

"You could take her out dancing and hold her close."

"I don't dance."

"Or you could dedicated a song to her. Oh it would be so romantic if you would sing to her."

"And I really don't sing."

"Have you ever done anything romantic in your life?"

"No."

"Then I think it's time you've got a taste of what real romance looks like. Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To provide an example."

Juvia took Gray on a picnic in the park where other couples were picnicking and later on a boat ride where couples were talking, hugging, and even kissing.

"See if you did something like this for Lucy I know she would forgive you and accept your proposal in a heart beat." Juvia said.

"I still think it's pretty stupid."

"My goodness you wouldn't know true love if cupid shot you with one of his arrows." She sighed. "Oh what's that over there?"

"What?"

"That sign over there."

"Oh that's just Magnolia's annual ball. They have one every year."

"A ball? Oh that would be fun."

"No that would not be fun."

"Oh I'm sure Lucy would think that it would be fun. Row back to land I have an idea."

"I'm not going to like this idea am I?"

"Just trust me."

"Alright but only because I'm desperate."

Once they got back on land Juvia used the remainder of the money Gray gave her to buy a bouquet of flowers in the shape of a heart and two invitations to the Magnolia ball. Then she sang for two doves and gave them the gifts.

"Take these to Lucy please." She told them. 

"What are you crazy? They're birds they don't know where she lives." Gray said.

"You'd be surprised how good birds are at navigation. " 


	8. Chapter 8

Somewhere else in the park Natsu and Lucy were searching aimlessly for Juvia. They looked far and wide but could find no trace of her.

"Maybe she's down here." Natsu said.

He lept off of the bridge he was standing on and landed on his feet but was then trampled by a group of bicyclists.

"Oof! Ah! Ow!" He shouted.

"Oh my goodness!" Lucy gasped. "Natsu are you alright?"

"I think so."

When the bicyclists got off of him Lucy and Laxus went to help him.

"Sire!" Laxus gasped. "Sire! You've fallen on your royal-"

"I know! I know! Don't say it! There's a lady here! Ah!" Natsu stood up.

"Look at you, you have bruises everywhere." Lucy said. "Maybe we should take a break."

"No I must keep searching. I refuse top stop until- Ah! Ow! Ow! Ow! Okay maybe I could rest for a moment."

"Come on I'll take you back to my apartment."

Natsu and Laxus followed Lucy to her apartment and she set him up to rest in her guest room.

"Now listen I have to go back to work but I'll be back as soon as I can. Help yourself to anything in the fridge but don't make a mess and please don't cause any trouble you two." She told them before leaving.

As Natsu began to get comfortable in the bed in the guest room he accidentally sat on the remote which turned on the TV. But Natsu and Laxus having no TV where they're from confused it to be a magic mirror.

"Laxus check this out. This little box controls the magic mirror."

Natsu hit a button on the remote and the channel changed to a soap opera where a pretty woman and a strong man were talking about their relationship.

"I've always been in love with you Evergreen." The man said.

"Don't you have any self respect Elfman?" The woman asked.

"I don't need self respect. I just need your lips against mine."

The show caught Laxus attention.

"Wait sire go back! Please!" He panicked when Natsu changed the channel.

"How could I love a man who doesn't even like himself?" The character called Evergreen said when the show returned. "Get away from me Elfman, you disgust me."

While Laxus was distracted with the show Happy managed to escape the bag Laxus had trapped him in and tried once again to tell Natsu what was going on.

"Oh hey Happy where have you been?" Natsu asked him.

"Shhh." He hushed him and began to once again to pantomime Laxus trying to kill Juvia but like before Natsu didn't understand him at all.

"Happy you know that I was never good at charades. Man I wish I could understand what you're trying to tell me because judging by how you're acting it must be important. Hey Laxus do you know what he's saying?"

"Meow!" Happy cried as if to say No Natsu!

Laxus turned around and quickly silenced Happy by grabbing him by his tail.

"He's saying that while you stay here and rest we should continue to search for your bride." Laxus lied.

"Oh Happy you're such a good friend. I'll make sure to get you a really big and tasty fish for this." Natsu gave Happy a pat on the head then went to raid Lucy's refrigerator.

"I'll give you this you're a persistent little pest." Laxus snarled at Happy. "But you won't stand in Irene's plan to remain queen."

Happy hissed at Laxus and bit him hard on his hand.

"Ow! Why you stupid cat!"

Laxus angrily shoved Happy into another bag and locked the bag in a broom closet before leaving. Happy quickly used his claws to cut a hole in the bag and then he used his claws to pick the lock on the broom closet door. He wanted to tell Natsu what Laxus was up to but he realized that getting the message to him non verbally was a lost cause so he decided to go out and stop Laxus himself.

He lifted the latch on one of Lucy's windows and began to follow Laxus while climbing across rooftops and telephone poles. Determined to save Juvia from becoming a victim of the poison apple.

Speaking of Juvia at the moment she was trying to convince a worried Gray that sending Lucy flowers and invitations to the ball wasn't a bad idea.

"She's not going to think they're stupid. Trust me." She assured him.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure it's too cliche."

"Sometimes cliche works. Now tell me when do you plan to propose to her?"

"I haven't exactly picked a date yet."

"Well you better pick one soon because she won't wait forever."

"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves first she has to take me back and I'm not sure she's willing to do that yet."

Just then Gray's phone rang and when he answered it he heard Lucy on the other line.

"Lucy?"

"Gray thank you so much for the flowers I love them."

"You mean you actually got them?"

"Yes and they're wonderful."

"Well you're welcome."

"Listen do you wanna meet up later and talk?"

"Sure."

"At my work place?"

"You got it. See you there." He hung up. "That was Lucy apparently your flower idea worked."

"See what did I tell you?"

"Okay you were right this time. Anyway she wants me to meet her at her workplace to talk so please don't do anything that will possibly make her mad."

"I'll try my best." 

"You sure you like them?" Gray asked Lucy when they arrived.

"I love them! They're beautiful you know usually you only send me digital pictures of flowers but these are exquisite and where did you get the doves?"

"It's a long story."

"And these, we're going to a ball?" She asked looking at the invitations.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"Are you kidding? That is so romantic and so unlike you. Oh we're going to have so much fun and I finally have a place to where my mother's dress."

"Great so I guess you forgive me for what happened this morning?"

"Yes I do and if you say nothing happened then nothing happened."

"That's a relief because believe me nothing happened. So do you wanna have dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to but I gotta help some poor guy I met today who got into trouble with Erza."

"Uh-oh. What did he do to make her so mad?"

"Believe me you don't wanna know but after what he did she was ready to kill him. Right now he's resting at my place."

"Your place? Lucy you're not cheating on me are you?" He grinned.

"No, don't worry he's just a guy I'm helping out just like how you're just helping out that girl."

"Okay I see your point."

"Besides he is so not my type. Sorry that I won't be able to have dinner with you but we'll have dinner tomorrow night and then go to the ball and have the most romantic evening of our lives."

"I look forward to it."

"Me too."

They hugged and kissed.

"Say hi to Wendy for me okay?" She said.

"I will. See you tomorrow night."

"You too."

Juvia smiled as she watched the two make up. She loved seeing couples reconcile because it proved that no matter how difficult life was nothing could over power true love yet for some reason when Lucy kissed Gray it made her upset. Why? Shouldn't she been overwhelmed with joy that they were being so loving with each other? Maybe it was because it made her long for her true love wherever he was. She hoped that Natsu was okay and that he would find her soon. Part of her was afraid that he would never find her but her hope and determination for love and a happy ending overcame it.


	9. Chapter 9

That evening Gray, Juvia, and Wendy went out to eat at an Italian restaurant. They ordered pizza and when Juvia ate it she was amazed. She had never eaten anything so tasty in her life.

"This stuff is delicious. Natsu would love it." She said.

"I'm curious what kind of food do you have in Alvarez?"

"Nothing like this and we don't have places where we can sit down and eat like this. What do you call it again?"

"A restaurant."

"Restaurant. Oh it's very nice place. Oh!"

"What?"

"This is a very nice place."

"Yeah."

"And we're having dinner."

"Yeah."

"This is a date."

"Yeah...Wait! No! No! No! No this isn't a date. We're just friends and besides people don't normally bring kids on dates."

"Oh that's too bad." Juvia said looking over at Wendy who was talking with her friends from school who happened to be eating at the same restaurant. "Wendy is a lovely girl and so very sweet."

"Yes she is."

"Does she miss them terribly?"

"Who?"

"Your parents."

"My parents? Why would she miss my parents she's never- oh because we're brother and sister you assumed we had the same parents."

"Of course, don't you have the same parents."

"Not exactly. Biologically speaking we're not related." 

"Well does she miss her parents?"

"I don't know. You see she never knew her father and she doesn't remember her mother."

"What about you? Do you remember your parents?"

Gray bristled a little but then eased up.

"Yeah I do. They died in a car accident when I was eight years old. The three of us were out driving when a criminal named Deliora had jacked a car. In his haste to get away from the cops chasing him he hit us. I survived because my parents shielded me from the crash but it cost them their lives and the monster who took them away from me escaped unscathed."

"Oh my goodness."

"I was found and cared for by a paramedic named Ur. She thought that she could never have children so she adopted me. I know she wasn't really my mother but she loved like I was her own son. Then when I was eleven she got pregnant and her no good husband ran out on her so she had to be a single mother but she didn't care because she was finally going to have a baby."

"You must've been so happy for her."

"Not at first. At first I thought now that she was going to have her own baby she was going to get rid of me but when I angrily voiced my feelings to her she gave me a thump on the head and told me that no matter what happened I was always going to be her son. Then Wendy was born and Ur told me that I was a big brother now."

"That's so sweet, if you don't mind me asking what happened to her?"

He bristled up again, this time harder then last time.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Juvia said.

"No. It's okay. It happened one evening when Ur had picked me up from school. I was twelve and Wendy was only a year old but she was with a sitter on that day. We ran into Deliora on the street and he mugged us. Ur gave him his wallet but he still shot her. Despite her injured state she managed to knock him out so the police would get him this time but by the time the ambulance arrived she was already gone. Before she died she made me promise to take care of Wendy."

"I'm so very sorry. That must've been horrible."

"It's okay I'm a big boy I can handle it."

"Still there's nothing wrong with being sad about that."

"But I can't dwell on that. I need to be strong for Wendy, with her mother in heaven and her father God knows where I'm all she has."

She gently placed her hand over his.

"But that doesn't mean you're not allowed to be sad or hurt. And you're not the only one who's suffered from losing a family. I lost my parents when I was young too."

Gray looked at her feeling immediate empathy.

"You did?"

"Yes."

"How old were you?"

"Same as you were. Eight years old. There was a horrible flood in the middle of winter, we lived in a cottage in the woods so we had no where to go and no one could hear us when we cried out for help. My father did everything he could to ensure that my mother and I would stay above water. By the time he got us safely on the roof a wave washed him away and he drowned. I never saw him again."

"What happened to your mother?"

"We were trapped on the roof and it was so cold that day. So cold that my entire my body hurt. My mother took off her coat and whatever warm clothing she had on that day and put on me. When the flood finally ended she had died of hyperthermia."

"Oh...I guess we're in the same boat huh?"

"I guess so. I'm not saying you should dwell on things that make you sad but you shouldn't keep your feelings about them bottled up. It still hurts a little to think about my parents but I'll never forget the wonderful times we had together. Don't you have any happy memories from your family that you still want to hold on to?"

"I wanna show you something." He pulled something from his pocket. It was a tiny box which he opened. Inside was a diamond and silver ring and the diamond was in the shape of a snowflake. "This was my mother's. It was the only thing aside from me that survived the accident. Whenever I look at it I think about how much my parents loved each other."

"It's very beautiful."

"I plan to propose to Lucy with this."

"You think it'll fit her?"

"I hope so."

"Well I think her hands and mine are about the same size so let me try it on to see."

"Okay."

Gray took hold of Juvia's hand and slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. Like it was made for her, like she was meant for it.

"Wow it...It fits." She said blushing. "I guess that means it will fit Lucy pretty good."

"Yeah...You're probably right."

She took off the ring and gave it back to him.

"I'm sure Wendy is very excited about the proposal."

"Not really. Don't get me wrong she likes Lucy but she doesn't think she's the one for me."

"Well why does she think that?"

"Because we're not all into that lovey-dovey stuff you talk about but what she needs to understand is that kind of love doesn't really exist. She's a firm believer in happy endings, dreams coming true, and all that nonsense."

"But dreams do come true." Juvia said. "And maybe someday something wonderful will happen."

"Well I forgot who I was talking to."

"Well I hope you don't forget because I like talking to you."

"For the nice lady." Just then Laxus disguised as a waiter came over to their table and placed a glass of red liquid in front of Juvia. "From a secret admirer."

"A secret admirer? How come people keep giving you free stuff?" Gray asked suspiciously.

"What is it?" Juvia asked looking at her drink.

"It's an apple martini." Laxus said.

"Oh it looks delicious."

"Be careful it's poisonous." Gray warned.

Laxus looked at him scared and worried.

"You're joking." Juvia giggled.

"Yeah." Gray chuckled. "But don't drink so much okay?"

"I'll have just one sip."

Juvia brought the wine glass to her mouth but just before a drop of the martini could even touch her lips...

"Hi-ya!" Happy knocked the glass right out of her hands.

"Happy?!" She gasped.

"There's a cat on the table! Somebody get some help here!" Gray shouted.

"Oh no leave him alone! He's my friend!"

"A kitty!" Wendy cheered. She reached out to pet Happy only for Gray to grab her.

"Don't touch it Wendy you don't know where it's been!"

"Why you miserable little pest!"

Laxus grabbed a broom and began trying to hit Happy. The little cat dodged his attacks with great agility and ease then hid inside a basket of bread.

"Oh no you don't!"

And before Juvia could stop him he threw the basket straight into the wood fire oven much to her horror.

"Happy! Oh no!"

"Are you alright?" Gray asked her.

But she couldn't respond. She just stood there in shock as tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. However unknown to all Happy had managed to jump out of the basket just before it entered the firey oven but he landed in a nearby vent and got trapped.

"Oh great." He thought.


	10. Chapter 10

At Lucy's apartment Natsu was talking to her tv and asking it questions only for the machine not to answer.

"Tell me magic mirror what is this awful place that has such wonderful food? Why is everything so difficult? Will I ever find my heart's duet?"

Natsu changed the channel to the news. They were giving a report about the supposed attack brought on by a cat in the Italian restaurant.

"Police found no trace of feline remains in the oven." A reporter said said. "Here we have a picture of the woman who was supposedly attacked by this cat."

A picture of Juvia then appeared on the TV screen. She was smiling and waving into the camera. Standing next to her in the picture was Gray who looked annoyed and appeared to be shooing the photographer away while pulling Juvia along.

"Juvia!" He gasped excitedly. "Magic mirror I beg you! Tell me where she is?"

"Reporting from 116th at Downtown Magnolia."

"116th at Downtown Magnolia! Thank you mirror!" He then kissed the TV screen and headed for the door.

"Whoa! Where are you off to?" Lucy asked him

"Lucy I have wonderful news! I have found my beloved Juvia at last!"

"That's great."

"It is! I must go to her as quick as I can!"

"She must really be something special."

"She is. She's beautiful, kind, loves animals and she can cook. I can hardly wait til the day we're married I just hope my stepmother approves of her."

"Stepmother? Are your parents separated?"

"No. My mother died the day I was born, I never knew her."

"Oh I'm so sorry."

"It's alright I don't remember her so it doesn't really upset me."

"I don't really remember my mother either. She died of cancer when I was only three."

"Huh...I'm very sorry for you."

"It's no big deal. I only remember her a little. So what was your father like? Did he become cold and distant after your mother died?"

"No of course not. He did just the opposite. Since I would have to grow up without a mother my father went out of his way to make sure that I never felt lonely. He devoted all his free time to being with me. He was a great father."

"That must be nice. I wish I knew what that was like."

"What do you mean?"

"Well my father wasn't exactly like yours. You see I looked a lot like my mother so after she passed he saw me as nothing more than a cruel reminder that his wife was never coming back. He basically ignored me, neglected me, and whenever he ever spoke to me it was either to tell me to go away and let him work or to just criticize me and tell me what's wrong with me. It was like...Like...Like...Like-"

"Like no matter what you did he always seemed disappointed and irritated with you. Like having you in his life was some kind of punishment."

"Yeah that's exactly what it felt like. How did you know?"

"Because that's how my stepmother treated me. I was ten years old when my father married her and just a few months after the wedding he got sick and died. I thought my stepmother would comfort me since she was all I had left but she did everything your father did. I don't think she intended to be cruel, I think she just didn't know how to be a single mother. I remember how when I was a kid if I ever disturbed her she would snap at me and talk about how stupid I was. She was right but it still hurt."

"She wasn't right! You're not stupid."

"I'm pretty sure I am. If I wasn't then I would be the running the kingdom instead of her."

"Just because she's in charge doesn't mean you're stupid. She has no right to say such things to you! If you want my opinion you're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for! You're also funny and sweet and caring and brave. I've never met a man more incredible in my entire life."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I do! I would never lie! You're great which is more than I can say about myself."

"What are you talking about? You're amazing."

"Yeah right."

"I'm serious. You're nice and down to earth and honest and beautiful."

"Oh come on, stop lying."

"I'm a prince I am forbidden to lie."

"You really think I'm all those things?"

"And more. You know everyone else in this strange land has been very rude to me, everyone except you. You're the only one in this place who actually wants to help me and that says a lot."

"Thank you." She said blushing. "You sure do know what to say to a girl. Your princess is one lucky girl and I'm guessing once you find her you'll go back to this Alvarez place right?"

"Of course."

"Then this is goodbye then." She sighed.

"Oh...Well yes but this isn't goodbye forever. I mean I could always come back and visit you and you could always come visit me in Alvarez."

"I would like that. Very much."

The two looked at each other, both feeling flustered and shy. Finally after a long moment of silence Lucy spoke.

"You should probably go now. Don't keep your princess waiting, I hope you two have a happy life together."

"Same to you and your gentleman suitor."

"Visit me soon okay?"

"I promise."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

And just like that he was gone. Lucy knew that she should be happy that Natsu finally found his true love but for some reason the idea of him leaving her and marrying another woman made her sad. Why? She knew from the moment she met him that he was engaged and determined to find and marry his fiance so why wasn't she happy for him?

Natsu was also confused. Why was he so reluctant to leave Lucy? Why did the thought of never seeing her again make him so sad? But he didn't have time to focus on mixed emotions. He needed to find Juvia. Now that he knew where she was he had to get her before something or someone tried to separate them further. Speaking of which who was that guy he saw with Juvia in that picture? Was he a friend? He looked angry and he had his hands on Juvia. Was he holding her hostage? Had he abducted her? If that was the case then he needed to rescue Juvia fast.

He ran to Downtown Magnolia as quick as he could and finally reached the apartment building there. He went inside the building and knocked on the door of the first apartment room. The door was opened by a pregnant woman who had two kids.

"You're too late." She told him.

"My apologies." He said politely.

He tried another door. This one was answered by a crazy cat man and one of his cats hissed at him. Natsu hissed back and went to another apartment door. No one answered this time but there was a mean dog barking behind the other end and it came close to breaking down the door.

"Ah!" He shouted jumping away from the door in fear. "Man I hate dogs."

He went to door to door, climbed stairway after stairway, trying and failing to find the maiden he wished to marry. By the time he reached the fifth floor he was exhausted and dropped to the floor.

"Oh Juvia where are you? And where's some water? I'm exhausted and where are Laxus and Happy? I thought that they were going to meet up with me later? And....And...And who am I talking to? Oh man this place is starting to make me crazy. I need to find Juvia and get back home soon before I start to lose it."

He then continued his search.


	11. Chapter 11

When Gray, Juvia, and Wendy came back to the apartment that night it had become really late and it was past Wendy's bedtime. Before going to sleep she asked Juvia if she would tell her a story which Juvia was more than glad to do.

"And then Happy threw a rock right into the monster, scaring him off thus saving everyone in the kingdom." She told her.

"Really?"

"Yep I saw it with my own eyes, of course that was before we officially met but I knew right then and there that he was a brave and tough little fella."

"So do you think he's okay? That he didn't actually get burned in the oven?"

"Of course. Happy can take care of himself."

"He sure is cute. I wish I could have a kitty cat."

"Well maybe one you will get one."

Gray watched Juvia tuck Wendy into bed and smiled. The way Juvia got Wendy ready for bed reminded him of when he was little and how his mother and Ur used to tuck him into bed.

"Goodnight Wendy." Juvia said kissing her forehead.

"Good night Juvia, thank you for the story." Wendy said.

"You're welcome."

Wendy then turned over on her side to sleep while Juvia turned off the lights and gently closed the door. After that Juvia changed into the pajamas Gray gave her to wear, made the couch up like a bed, and began to read a little before going to sleep. Gray came in a while later.

"Oh hello Gray, did you have trouble sleeping?" She asked him.

"No I just wanted to check on you that's all. Thanks for telling Wendy a story I'm not really good at making up stuff like that."

"I didn't make that story up. It actually happened."

"Right a cat defeated a monster. That's totally believable. Anyway um I'm sorry about you're little cat friend and I'm sorry about your 'prince' it really stinks when things don't work out."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean the fact that your fiance isn't coming."

"Natsu is coming."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Happy told me back at the restaurant."

"Oh so he talks now does he? Reality check Juvia cats don't talk."

"Not here they don't."

"Okay I don't know if you're joking or if you're just delusional!"

"What do you mean? I'm not joking and I'm not delusional."

"Forgive me for being skeptical but every word out of your mouth since I've met you is impossible."

"I don't like the way you're talking to me right now Gray."

"I'm sorry I'm just trying to explain things to you."

"And what exactly are you trying to explain?"

"I'm trying to explain that if you need to find a job or a place here I'd like to help."

"That's very kind of you but I don't need to find a job or a place here because once Natsu finds me we'll be returning to Alvarez."

"Right because the talking cat told you so?"

"Yes."

"I don't think he's coming."

"But he is."

"No he's not."

"Yes he is."

"He's not coming!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"No?!" She shouted. "Is that the only word you know?! No!"

"No!"

"Oh yeah?"

"No! I didn't mean it like that! No! I-"

"No! No! No! Over and over again! Every word out of your mouth is no! Ugh! It makes me so...Sometimes you make me so....Angry! I'm angry...I'm angry!"

"Are you alright?"

"No! I'm angry!...I just realized that I can get angry and...And..And I also realized that....You're afraid of love."

"Huh?"

"That's why you put it down so much and act like it doesn't really exists! You know it exists but you don't want to be apart of it because you're afraid of it!"

"I'm not afraid of love! I'm not afraid anything!"

"Yes you are! You're afraid to love somebody because you don't want to have to go through the pain of losing them. Just like you lost your parents and Ur."

"Who are you? My therapist?"

"And not only do you do that but you try to force other people to be afraid too like Wendy. That's why you are so against her dreaming because you want her to fear it just like you do!"

"That is not true!"

"Gray do you love Wendy?"

"Of course I do!"

"Would you ever push her away?"

"Of course not!"

"Then that proves that you can handle loving someone despite the pain you risk by loving them."

"Don't act like you know me."

"I know that you mean well and that you only want to protect yourself and Wendy from getting hurt but that's impossible. Everybody hurts there's no way to avoid it, sooner or later you have to accept that and stop hiding from things like love."

"You're marrying a man you just met! How could you possibly know anything about real love?! I bet you don't even really love this guy, you only think you do because of some fantasy you've thought of in your crazy deluded head!"

It wasn't until Juvia slapped him and he saw the tears in her eyes that he realized that he had gone too far.

"I'm....I'm sorry...I didn't mean that." He apologized.

"Why would you say that?" She sobbed. "That's the meanest thing anyone has ever said to me. I'm not deluded and I'm not crazy!"

"I didn't mean it!"

"If you didn't mean it then why did you say that?"

She swung in for another smack but he caught her hand, when she tried to hit him with the other he caught that one too. She tried to break away and start hitting him but he had a tight grip on her wrists.

"Stop it!"

"Let me go!"

"Not until you listen to me! Now stop it!" She calmed down. "Look sometimes when people get angry they'll say things that they don't really mean because they're not thinking. For example last month Wendy said I was the worst brother ever and she wished death upon me because I wouldn't buy her a cat. Now she didn't mean that because she was angry and I didn't mean what I said to you because I was angry."

"So you really don't think I'm deluded or crazy?"

"No. I think that maybe you misunderstand things but you're not crazy or deluded, you're as Wendy would say alright in the head."

"Your world is so confusing. I don't get how you can say something and not mean it."

"It happens."

"Can you say nice things to people and not mean it?"

"Yeah."

"Can you say that you love someone and not mean it?"

"Yeah. Believe it or not that happens very often around here."

"Why?"

"Well sometimes it's because people will do it to get something out of someone else or to hurt them."

"That's the cruelest thing I've ever heard of."

"It's not always that case other times it's because you get confused and you make yourself think you love someone."

Juvia found herself leaning in closer a little.

"Can you say that you don't love someone and not mean it?"

"Yes." He said leaning also.

"Why...Why would someone do that? Shouldn't you...You tell someone if you love them?"

"It's...Not always....That simple."

Her hand was on his bare chest and their eyes were locked. They stared at each other for the longest time before finally deciding that this was too close for comfort and they stepped back away from each other.

Then she started to giggle.

"So are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm....I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm...Fit as a fiddle."

"We should probably get some sleep now huh?"

"Yes we should."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He went back to his bedroom and she got on to the couch. Both of them fell asleep feeling very flustered and confused. The next morning when Gray went to Wendy's bedroom to wake her up he was surprised to find her bed already made and the folded clothes that had been laid out for her gone. He also found cut out holes in her aquamarine colored rug.

Rolling his eyes and smiling, he went to the kitchen where as he suspected saw Juvia wearing an aquamarine colored sundress that was a little shorter than the last one she wore. She had just set the table with a breakfast of eggs, bacon, buns, and fruit.

"Nice dress." He said.

"Thank you."

"I didn't know you could cook."

"My mother taught me."

Knock-knock!

"I'll get it!" Wendy said running to answer the door. "Hello can I help you sir?"

"It is I Prince Natsu of Alvarez come to recuse my loving bride Juvia!" Juvia and Gray heard from the kitchen.

"Oh my gosh he's here!" She gasped.

"You mean he's real?" Gray said in disbelief.

"Oh my goodness how do I look?" She asked straightening her dress and hair.

"Um slightly nervous."

"No I mean how do I look."

"You look..." He paused when he saw her smiling and hopeful face. "Beautiful."

"Juvia!" Natsu cried happily when he saw her.

"Natsu."

She ran into his arms and he spun her around cheerfully.

"Whoa! Careful! You might break something!" Gray said.

"You!" Natsu said angrily facing Gray before putting Juvia down. "You're the one who's been holding my beloved captive!"

"Say what?"

Natsu pulled out his sword and pointed it at Gray causing him to freeze with his hands up.

"Any last words before I dispatch you?" Natsu asked.

"You have got to be kidding me." Gray said.

"Strange words."

"No stop!" Juvia said. "Don't hurt him! He's my friend!"

"He is?"

"Yes I'm her friend!" Gray said. "Now could you please get your sword away from my throat? Please?"

"I apologize for acting so rash." Natsu said putting his sword away. "You must understand that I am new to this strange world and I have no idea who here is friend or foe."

"Well Natsu these are my friends Gray and his sister Wendy." Juvia introduced. "They've been helping me adjust to this place."

"Then it's a pleasure to meet you both. Well Juvia we best be going now."

"Going? Going where?"

"Back to Alvarez to be married of course."

"Oh...Oh right yes. Silly me I forgot. But um....Do we have to leave so soon?"

"The sooner the better I had hoped."

"Um...Well I...I don't think we should get married until...Until...We've had a date."

"Ah a date. What's a date?"

"Him too? Seriously what do you people do in this place of yours?" Gray asked.


	12. Chapter 12

After Gray explained to Natsu what a date was the prince happily agreed to take Juvia on one before they were married which made her happy until she realized that this meant goodbye. It meant that now she would have to leave Gray and Wendy. As much as she wanted to go back to Alvarez and marry Natsu she didn't want to leave Gray and Wendy. At least not forever. Surely this didn't mean she would never see them again. At least she hoped not.

"You won't stay away too long right?" Wendy asked her as they were saying their goodbyes.

"No and I promise I'll visit you as soon as I can." Juvia assured her. "And you two can come visit me too."

Juvia hugged Wendy and kissed her forehead.

"We'll give you a call." Gray said. "Whenever we wanna come see you."

"I look forward to you seeing you both."

"Good luck on your date."

"Good luck with Lucy."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

She then felt Natsu take her arm to usher her.

"Thank you for taking care of my bride peasants." He said.

The two then went on their way. Gray gently grasped Wendy's hand sensing how sad she felt.

"I'm really going to miss her Gray."

"I know. I'm going to miss her too."

He watched Juvia until she was out of his sight then he hailed a taxi to take him to work and Wendy to school. Natsu and Juvia made their way through Magnolia to find a restaurant to eat at for their date. As they searched they accidentally bumped into a guy carrying a water jug. From the water inside Irene was spying on them and she was enraged by what she saw.

"I don't know how they found each other your majesty." Laxus said the next time he spoke to her.

"You idiot!" She snapped from the martini drink that showed her image. "I sent you there to kill her! Not save her! Can't you get that straight?!"

"I realize you're upset madame but if you could just give me one more chance-"

"Another chance?! What do you think?! Posion apples grow on trees?! There's only one left! You are out of chances!"

"But your majesty-"

"No forget it! I'm coming there! And I will kill the little wretch MYSEEEEELLLLLF!"

She screeched so loud that every glass in the room shattered into a million pieces. When everything cleared Laxus spotted Happy trying to escape from the air vent.

"You!" He shouted grabbing him. "This is all your fault! I'll get you for this!"

Happy gulped and wondered what horrible punishment Laxus had in store for him. Back at his office Gray was in a meeting with Gajeel and Levy but they weren't fighting. In fact they were holding hands and smiling at each other lovingly.

"You know I was thinking about what your friend said the other day about Levy's eyes sparkling the other day." Gajeel said. "You know that was the first thing I noticed when we met and they still have that sparkle."

"Oh Gajeel." Levy giggled as the two shared a kiss.

"Okay who are you people and what have you done with my clients?" Gray asked.

"Gray, Gajeel and I have been thinking about what she said and we've been talking about things and we realized that we still love each other."

"With all due respect how do you know it's going to last? I mean you guys have problems."

"Everyone has problems, everyone makes mistakes, and we were about to make a huge one."

"Yeah Gray. That girl was right, Levy and I were fighting over stupid reasons." Gajeel said. "What upset us wasn't worth throwing our marriage away for."

"And now we can be happy again."

Gray watched as Gajeel and Levy hugged and kissed each other. Though he didn't like losing a case he was happy for them. He wondered if he would ever be that happy with someone. He began to think about Juvia. Would she be that happy with Natsu? She made it sound like that they would both be very happy together. She was lucky. After meeting Natsu it appeared that he would be a good husband. But why was he sad? He should be happy and relieved that she was marrying someone who loved her and was no longer going to make his life so difficult but he wasn't. He missed her. He missed her a lot more than he thought he would.

"Well look at that." Mirajane said when she saw Gajeel and Levy embracing. "Looks like sometimes love does conquer all. You think you'll be that happy with Lucy?"

"Who?" He asked.

"Lucy."

"Who's Lucy?"

"She's your girlfriend remember?"

"Oh right! Duh! Yeah I'm sure I'll be that happy with her."

That was strange. For a brief moment Gray had forgotten all about Lucy. In fact he hadn't even thought of her once all day. All he could think about was Juvia. Was he going crazy? Surely he hadn't of developed feelings for her had he? No. No he was just overworked. He was glad that tonight was his date with Lucy because he was hoping that it would take his mind off of somethings that had him really confused. He pulled his mother's ring from his pocket. He wondered if the ball was the right place to propose to her. If tonight was the night he was going to pop the question.

"What are you thinking about?" Mirajane asked him.

"I think I'm going to ask Lucy to marry me tonight at the Magnolia ball."

"Really? Oh that's so romantic."

"It does seem like a nice place to do it. All I have to do is have the gutts to get down on one knee, hold up my mother's ring, and say Juvia will you marry me?"

"Huh?!"

"What? Too cliche?"

"No it's just that....You said Juvia instead of Lucy."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did. You said Juvia will you marry me."

"I did? Oh man why did I say that?"

"Maybe you're just tired. Why don't you get some sleep before you go out tonight?"

"Good idea. Hey Mirajane can you pick up my suit for the ball tonight?"

"Sure which one is it?"

"It's the one with the blue jacket. I chose blue because it matched her eyes." He said leaving.

"Oh how sweet. That'll be really- Wait a minute I thought Lucy's eyes were brown. Oh well I better go get his suit so he'll look good for his date."

Speaking of dates Natsu and Juvia were having a fun time on their date. They went to a nice place to eat for lunch then took a stroll by the lake while they talked.

"How do you like your hot dog?" She asked him as he was finishing up his lunch.

"Wait a second! This is a dog?!"

"No! No they just call it that."

"Oh, then it's fantastic. I have got to get the recipes for some of the food here."

"So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. How long do these dates normally last?"

"As long as you want them to. You do that by finding activities you can do."

"Like what?"

"Like going out to dinner or to the theater or the museum. Then there's this ball-"

"A ball?"

"Yes Magnolia's annual ball. It's like the ones back in Alvarez. You like those right?"

"Sure."

"Okay we'll go."

"And then back home to Alvarez?"

"Yes. As soon as it's over we'll go back."

But Juvia didn't have anything appropriate to wear to a ball so she went back to Gray's apartment to see if he could help. He wasn't there but Wendy and her babysitter was.

"Juvia you're back!" Wendy ran to hug her. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a problem. I'm going to this ball tonight but I don't have a dress or a fairy godmother."

"I have something better than a fairy godmother."

Wendy took Gray's credit card from his drawer and with permission from the baby sitter, she and Juvia went shopping for a gown, a pair of shoes, and perfume that would be suitable for the ball. Shopping for the gown was the most fun part because the two of them tried on different dresses and played pretend for hours. After they had purchased the perfect outfit they went to the spa to give Juvia a manicure and have her hair and make up done.

"So have you ever done this before?" Wendy asked her.

"Done what sweetie?"

"Go shopping and get a makeover with your sister or your mom?"

"Well no I never had a sister and my mother died when I was just your age."

"I'm sorry. My mom's dead too but I don't remember her."

"I know, Gray told me about that but he also told me how much she loved you."

"I know she loved me, I just wish that I had gotten to know her."

"I can't say that I know how that feels but Natsu does. His mother died giving birth to him so he doesn't remember her."

"Does he have a father?"

"His father died when he was ten years old but he has a stepmother who's taken care of him since then."

"What's his stepmother like?"

"I've never met her but I hear she's just lovely."


	13. Chapter 13

Later that evening, in the middle of Magnolia a wave of flames came shooting out of the man hole that connected the world of Magnolia and the world of Alvarez together. Rising from the flames was the powerful and evil Queen Irene. All who saw her became frightened and did their best to stay out of her way as she walked over to the car where Laxus.

"Your majesty?"

"Hello worthless." She sneered. "Miss me?"

"Okay I know you're upset about the whole apple incident but I-"

"Oh shut up you useless worm!" She said striking him to the ground as hard as she could. "Before I get more angry with you than I already am."

She then left Laxus on the side of the road showing absolutely no remorse for the cruel act she had commited. Once that was finished she cast a spell that revealed to her where Natsu and Juvia were. They had just arrived at Magnolia's ball and were preparing to enter. Now that she knew where they were located she started to put her plan into action.

"Stay out of my way Laxus and I'll only sentence you to a decade in the dudgeon for your failure." She said before disappearing in a flame.

Laxus got to his feet and looked into the car mirror. He had a black eye and a bleeding nose.

"Oh my heavens are you alright?" He heard a sweet voice gasp from behind. It was Mirajane Gray's receptionist.

"Beat it lady!" He told her.

"But you're hurt. Oh my...I better get you to a doctor!"

"I don't need a stupid doctor! And I don't need your help! Now go away!"

"Please at least let me get you some ice and a tissue."

Laxus was about to object but Mirajane's pleading look of concern convinced him to give in.

"Fine."

Meanwhile inside the ballroom was a magnificent display. The room was a glow with lights that came from the chandelier. Live music was played by an orchestra as ladies and gentlemen danced together wearing costumes that matched the theme of the ball perferctly. Among those dancers were Gray and Lucy.

Gray wore a suit which consisted of a white dress shirt and a royal blue colonial style jacket with cuffs. With it he wore black bants, matching black boots, and a blue cravat around his neck.

Lucy was dressed in a long sleeved, magenta colored, 18th century style gown with a petticoat and ruffles. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a bun with a pink band. Her face had peach blush, glitter eye shadow, reddish-pink lipstick.

The two were having a fun time dancing to the cheerful music that played. It was a warm up dance, something meant to be fun and exciting. Nothing serious just a dance between friends. That was the theme of the music that played. The next song planned for the evening was going to be a romantic one. It was known as the King and Queen's waltz. There was a story behind it.

According to the story two strangers from different worlds, a lady and gentleman met at a ball in Magnolia and as they danced they fell in love but the two were sad because the lady was a young queen and the gentleman was a young king and they were both destined to marry someone else. Someone they had never met and it broke their hearts because they had finally found their true love only to be torn away from them. But as a twist of fate, it turns out the two had been arranged to marry each other all along. Their dance was called the King and Queen's waltz and in honor of the story it was tradition that a gentleman and a lady who did not go to the ball with each other were to dance the waltz together.

When the current song for this dance finished Lucy went to get a drink from the table while Gray took a break by the stairway. He glanced over at the top of the stairs and was stunned by what he saw. At the stop of the stairway stood Natsu wearing a white dress shirt with a gold vest, a crimson cape, matching pants, and black boots. But it was the young lady on Natsu's arm that had captured Gray's attention.

It was Juvia wearing a sleeves and strapless, lilac colored mermaid gown made from satin and lace that was lined and fitted her figure perfectly. Her blue hair had been straightened and it shined whenever the light hit it. Ivory powder and violet eye shadow had been applied to her face while violet lipstick glossed her lips. She looked beautiful. More beautiful than anything Gray had ever seen.

Juvia sensing his gaze looked in his direction and smiled at him. She didn't expect him to be here, true he had agreed to let her send those invitations to Lucy but she never thought he would actually attend the ball. She also didn't expect him to look so handsome in his costume. She found herself starting to feel shy. She and Natsu walked down the stairway and Gray went to meet them at the bottom.

"I'm a little surprised to see you here." Gray told her.

"I'm surprised I thought you couldn't dance." Juvia said.

"I said I didn't dance I never said I couldn't."

"Gray would you like anything to drink?" Lucy said coming back over from the table. "Because they have- Natsu?"

"Lucy?" Natsu said.

The two were surprised to see each other here.

Natsu was about to ask her why she was here but found himself becoming speechless as he looked at her in her costume. Lucy was radiant, she looked like a princess. The fairest princess in all the lands. For a brief moment he felt like a noose was being tightened around his neck.

Lucy thought that Natsu looked more dashing than ever before in his suit. He certainly did look the part of a Prince Charming. Lucy suddenly like felt she was Cinderella who had caught the eye of her prince.

"You two know each other?" Gray asked breaking the silence.

"He's the guy I've been helping after he ticked off Erza." Lucy said.  "Natsu what are you doing here?"

"I'm on a date with Juvia."

"She's your fiance?" Lucy said when she saw Juvia standing next to him.

"Small world isn't it?" Juvia said.

"Small and akward world." Gray said.

"Well folks it's that time of night again." The host of the ball announced on stage. "And now I would like each gentleman to invite a lady he did not accompany tonight to dance the King and Queen's waltz." 

Once those words were said the lights began to him and Natsu offered his hand to Lucy.

"May I have the pleasure?" He asked.

She smiled and joined him over to where the other dancers were picking their partners and getting into their positions. Gray and Juvia looked at each other and stood their in akward silence until finally Gray held his hand out to her.

"Shall we?" He asked.

She placed her hand in his and he led her to the center of the ball room as the band began to play soft, romantic music and the singer started his song. 

_"You're in my arms, and all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together, and when I'm with you_

_So close to feeling alive."_

He held her right hand in his left hand, he placed his right hand around her waist and her left hand gently grasped his shoulder, beginning their waltz.

_"A life goes by, romantic dreams must die_

_So I bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_So close was waiting, waiting here with you_

_And now forever I know_

_All that I want is to hold you so close."_

They did long strides with Gray leading and twirling Juvia occasionally. Neither one of them broke eye contact with each other as they danced. After a twriling Juvia a third time Gray turned her to where he was behind her and her back was to his chest. He held her there and her hand laid in his as they began to slowly spin around. 

_"So close to reaching that famous happy end_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend."_

From a distance Natsu and Lucy were waltzing and they could see the way Gray and Juvia were dancing. From what they saw their dance didn't look platonic but they found themselves too swept up in each other's eyes and touch to care at the moment. Natsu was becoming very drawn to Lucy. She was unlike any girl she had ever met and he liked it that she was different. Lucy just couldn't help but be charmed by Natsu's heroic and prince like behavior. She also liked how he made her laugh with his silliness.

Once Gray and Juvia were done spinning he turned her to where she was facing him again.

_"Now you're-"_

_"Beside me."_ Gray began to sing softly to Juvia as their foreheads touched and they gazed at each other. _"And look how far we've come. So far we are so close."_

In that moment it dawned on both of them. During these past few days they had spent together they had unknowingly fallen in love with each other.

The music got louder. Gray and Juvia danced the night away under the golden light of the crystal chandelier. They ignored the other dancers and began to imagine that it was just the two of them dancing together in their own world smiling lovingly and laughing shyly. The steps in their waltz became quicker, Gray twirled her confidently every chance he got and when he felt bolder he lifted her up and spun her around. Both of them experiencing a feeling that they had never felt with anyone else. But when Gray set Juvia down the moment was interrupted by Lucy gently tapping Gray's shoulder.

"Mind if I cut in?" She asked.

"No. Of course." Juvia replied in a melancholic voice.

_"Oh, how could I face the faceless days_

_If I should lose you now?"_

She parted from Gray and allowed Natsu to lead her back up the stairway while Lucy took her place. Gray's gaze lingered toward Juvia as he watched her leave. Both of them felt the urge to stop the other person from leaving and confess how they felt but the belief that the person they loved wished to be with someone else kept them silent.

_"We're so close to reaching that famous happy end_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend_

_Let's go on dreaming though we know we are."_

When they reached the top of the stairway Natsu noticed the look of utter heartbreak on Juvia's face.

"You're sad." He pointed out.

"Oh no. I'm fine." She denied.

"I'll get your coat."

He went down the hallway to the room where coats and hats were left. Alone, Juvia watched Gray and Lucy finish their dance. 

_"So close, so close, and still so far."_

A tear trickled down her cheek when she saw them kiss. It was like a knife in her heart. It was so painful, it was the most painful thing she had ever felt. She had waited so long for true love. Real, true, wonderul, pasionate, beautiful love and at last she had found it. But it was with someone who she could never be with. Someone who was destined for another. Overwhelmed with pain and sorrow she began cry silently in the corner of the hallway so no one could see her.

 


	14. Chapter 14

"Does that feel better?" Mirajane said rubbing ointment on Laxus's eye.

"Yeah much better. Thanks."

"How on earth did you get like this?"

"My queen did it to me after I failed her."

"Your queen? Oh you mean you're girlfriend. Wait she did this to you? That's horrible."

"I deserved it."

"No one deserves to be physically harmed. How could she do this to you? Does she always hurt you like this?"

"Occasionally."

"How awful. You poor man. How could you love a woman who treats you like this?"

"It's my own fault for failing her."

"Nonsense. This is cruel and abusive. Surely you don't think this woman cares for you the same way you care for her?"

"She cares for me. She just has a tough time showing it. She's much nicer to me if I do what she says."

"You don't hurt the people you love. Laxus's judging by what you've told me I think she's just been using you."

"No! That's not true!"

"Well can you remember the last time or anytime she was ever kind to you?"

Laxus thought for a moment and began to remember his time with Irene back in Alvarez. All he ever he received from her was demanding orders, vicious insults, and painful beatings. Mirajane was right. Irene didn't care about him. She didn't care about anyone but herself and right now she was about to do something horrible to his good friend Prince Natsu. He had to stop her.

"Mirajane you've just helped me see the light. Thanks." He stood up and started to race off to stop Irene.

Back at the ball poor Juvia's tears kept falling like water falls. Oh why? Why did she have to fall in love with Gray? Why couldn't Natsu have come sooner? Why couldn't she have stayed in Alvarez? Why did she have come to Magnolia in the first place? If only she hadn't of fallen down that stupid well then none of this would have happened.

"Child." A sickening voice croaked from behind.

Fear jumped up into Juvia's heart when she saw the terrifying and hideous old hag who had pushed her down the well standing behind her.

"You." She said trembling. "You sent me here!"

"I'm so glad to see you. I was so very worried."

"You pushed me-"

"It was an accident. A terrible accident that brought you to this terrible place with so much sadness and so much pain. To never be with the one you love, doomed to be with another for eternity."

Hearing the reminder of why she hated ever coming to this place, Juvia felt the urge to just run off somewhere and cry, the hag sensed this and quickly stopped her before she could move.

"But it doesn't have to be this way. Oh no, no, no. I can stop the hurt." The hag told her. "I can make all those bad memories disappear."

Juvia looked at the hag, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and curiosity that asked: How? To answer her nonverbal question the hag pulled a shiny, red apple from her sleeve and held it up in her bony, talon like hands.

"Just one bite my child and all this will go away." She said stroking a strand of hair out Juvia's tear stained face. "Your life here, the people that you met, you won't remember anything. Just sweet dreams and happy endings."

Juvia looked back at Gray who was dancing with Lucy. She knew how hurt she was over the fact that she could never be with him but could she really just forget him and Wendy? Was she really willing to forget them just to escape heart break? The hag could tell by the look on Juvia's face that she was debating the subject so she decided to tug at her heartstrings just a little harder.

"Can you really bear the pain you feel? Can you spend everyday married to one man while your heart yearns for another man? Another man who you know can never be yours?

Her words made the voice telling Juvia not to forget Gray disappear and her blue eyes looked at the apple. Overcome with heartbreak, she convinced herself that she couldn't live with the memory of Gray if she couldn't be with him.

"But you must hurry." The hag said nervously. "You must hurry because the magic will not work unless you take a bite before the clock strikes twelve. Hurry now!"

The old hag placed the apple in Juvia's hands. After taking one last look at her true love she brought the apple to her lips and took a bite. As soon as she tasted that little piece she had bitten off Juvia fell to the floor into a death like sleep. The half eaten apple rolled away from her limp arm, down the stairs, across the ballroom floor, past several dancers, until at last it stopped at Gray's foot. Seeing the piece of fruit, Gray bent down and picked it up.

"Huh? What's this?" He thought.

"Out of my way!" The hag shouted in irritation as she carried Juvia's unconscious body over her shoulder and walked toward the elevator. Once inside the elevator the old crone began to chant her spell. "Speciosus, formosus, praeclarus."

The old hag once again transformed back into Queen Irene but just before she could escape a sword stopped the elevator doors from closing and pried them open. A sword that belonged to a concerned Natsu who had spotted a figure carrying Juvia away though he was shocked to see that said figure was his stepmother.

"Natsu!" She gasped.

"Mother?" He said confused.

"Natsu!" She exclaimed cheerfully while accidentally pulling back her cloak exposing the unconscious Juvia laying on the elevator floor which caught Natsu's attention. "Yes oh her! I was just taking her out to get some air, she seems to have swooned. It's nothing to worry about."

But Natsu wasn't convinced and he quickly lifted Juvia's body into his arms.

"Oh leave her Darling she's fine. Just slap her or give her some water." Irene said.

"Someone help me please!" Natsu called getting the attention of everyone else in the ballroom including Gray and Lucy. Two men brought a sofa bed over to Natsu who gently laid Juvia on it. When Gray saw her immediate fear and concern for her overcame him.

"Call 911!" He told Lucy as he handed his cell phone to her. He then ran to Juvia's side and placed his hand on her forehead. She didn't have a fever but she felt so cold and she looked much paler than usual.

"Hello 911 we have a woman here who's unconscious." Lucy said on the phone. "I don't know I didn't see what happened."

"She fainted." Irene lied.

"No she didn't." Laxus said entering the room.

"Laxus back to the car!" She ordered.

"I will not." He defied with contempt in his voice. "You poisoned her."

"You did this?" Natsu asked looking at Irene.

"She's the evil hag sire! She sent the girl here! She poisoned her! With my help I regret to say."

"Oh he's lying Darling." Irene said. "I mean why would I ever align myself with that bafoon?"

"Silence!" Natsu demanded. "You lying, murderess, wretch! When we return home all of Alvarez will know of your treachery! Your days as queen will be over!"

"Take my crown? Don't you think that's a bit melodramatic Dear?"

"I don't know what melodramatic means but you will be removed from the throne forever Irene! I will see to it!" He declared.

"Remove me from the throne? After everything I've done for you? After I've raised you as my own son when your father passed?"

"Don't give me that act. We both know that you were never a real mother to me. I'm just sorry that it took me so long to realize it."

"You ungrateful little-" She lunged for Natsu, Laxus quickly grabbed Natsu's sword and held it to her neck.

"That's enough out of you! You viper!"

"We have to help her? What can we do?" Natsu asked.

"I don't know." Gray turned to Laxus. "What do we do?"

"There's no way of helping her now. She's done for." Laxus said.

Gray looked at Juvia then back at the poisoned apple he had picked up. He remembered reading a story to Wendy once about a girl was put to sleep with a poisoned apple. According to the story true love's kiss woke her up and he remembered Juvia telling him that it was the most powerful thing in the world. Gray wasn't sure what the heck was going on and if magic really was at work here but now was not the time to focus on logic.

"True love's kiss." He deduced.

"What?" Natsu asked.

"It's the most powerful thing in the world. I think, I mean I'm not really sure if it will work."

"I believe it will." Natsu kissed Juvia but nothing happened. He tried again but still she didn't wake. "It's not working!"

They heard the clock chime as a signal that midnight was fast approaching.

"You'll never save her now." Irene taunted. "When the clock strikes twelve she'll be dead."

"So true love's kiss isn't the answer?" Lucy asked.

"I guess not." Natsu sighed then looked up at Gray. "Unless."

"Unless?"

"Unless I'm not her true love."

"Well if you're not then- No. No it's not me."

"No don't you see? It has to be you."

"No I've only known her for a few days."

"But you love her."

"No I don't."

"Kiss her Gray!" Lucy cried.

"But Lucy-"

"I saw the way you looked at her when you two danced. In all of the five months I've known you, you have never looked at me the way you looked at her. It's okay." 

Hearing this Gray bent over the sofa bed and gazed at Juvia's sleeping form. He thought back to how much fun they had together in the park and at dinner. The way she was always so kind, sweet, and understanding toward him. How she had comforted him when he opened up to her about losing his parents and foster mother. How they bonded over the fact that they lost their families at a young age. He remembered the way they danced and how he held her in his arms and never wanted to let her go.

"Please." He pleaded softly as he brushed his hand against her cheek. "Don't leave me."

He took her upper body into his arms, brought his lips toward hers, and he kissed her. The clock struck twelve as soon their lips met and when he parted from her it seemed like she still wouldn't wake. Suddenly Juvia took a deep breath and her eyes fluttered open.

"I knew it was you." She smiled.

She kissed him and he embraced her. Everyone else in the ballroom applauded believing that this was all some live performance.

"Wonderful wasn't it?" One guest said.

"Oh yes. Much better than last year's show." Another said.

But Irene refused to let it end like this. She broke away from Laxus taking the sword with her which she held up. Gray and Juvia held each other protectively hoping that it would prevent the evil woman from harming the person they loved.

"The most powerful thing in the world? Ha! I don't think so." She snarled. "You have no idea who you're dealing with.You want a show? I'll give you a show!"

She went to the middle of the ballroom.

Speciosus, formosus, praeclarus."

Natsu and Laxus ran to grab her but they were knocked back by fire that surrounded her body. Gray sheltered Juvia and Lucy from the flames. All three wondering what Irene had planned next.

 


	15. Chapter 15

When the wall of fire cleared a huge dragon stood in place of Irene.

"All this nauseating talk of true love's kiss, it really does bring out the worst in me." The dragon spoke as it made it's way toward Gray and Juvia. "I've got a story for you what if a giant vicious beast showed up and killed everyone? And the Queen Irene was too defenseless and Prince Natsu was shall we say too unconscious to save them? Let's begin with the girl who started it all shall we."

"Over my dead body!" Gray said shielding Juvia from the dragon.

"Alright I'm flexible."

Irene then grabbed Gray, came crashing out the window, and climbed up the building. Juvia quickly pulled Natsu's sword from the floor and ran after them, in her haste to follow them she accidentally dropped one of her shoes. While all the other people in the building ran for their lives Lucy went to wake Natsu.

"Natsu? Natsu wake up." She said shaking the unconscious prince.

"Huh? What?" He said coming to. "What happened?"

"Your crazy stepmother turned into a dragon and took Gray!"

"Oh no! Where's Juvia?"

"She went after them."

"Oh she won't stand a chance. I better go help them."

He stood up, chanted some words, and Lucy and Laxus watched in amazement as the young man transformed into a dragon and came crawling up the same direction Irene went. Outside it was pouring down rain and Irene was holding Gray hostage at the top of the building.

"Let me go!" Gray shouted. "Put me down! You're crazy!"

"No spiteful, vindictive, very large but never crazy." She told him.

Suddenly she felt a sharp blade strike her tail. She hissed and looked down to see that the source of it was a sword being weilded by Juvia.

"Well this is a twist. It's the brave little princess coming to the rescue I guess that makes you the damsel in distress huh handsome?" Irene said to Gray.

"Give him back you overgrown lizard!" Juvia demanded. "Or next time it goes between your eyes!"

"Do you honestly think that I can be stopped by some little girl?" She laughed bringing her face over toward Juvia but that was a mistake because that allowed Juvia to poke her right in her eye.

She hissed in a pain and threw Gray up into the air. Juvia quickly threw the sword which caught Gray's sleeve and pinned it to the building. Juvia gave a breath of relief which was followed by a scream when Irene's tail knocked Juvia off the building luckily however she was caught by Natsu in his dragon form.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"I'm fine."

"You get Gray I'll take care of her."

Natsu placed Juvia higher up on a ledge then chased after his stepmother.

"That's enough Irene!" He told her. "Stop now and I won't fight you!"

"Oh please like you're any real threat!"

She lunged for Natsu but he responded by clawing at her face. Irene underestimated how strong her stepson was because as they fought he seemed to be over powering her. Down below Happy had managed to use his claws to escape the glass Laxus trapped him in and climbed up the building. He noticed that the building was having a difficult time supporting two dragons which gave him an idea. He wasn't sure but he had a hunch that if he stood on Irene it would make her too angry and she would fall. He had to time it just right to where only Irene would fall.

Irene clawed Natsu's face hard and pinned him down. She then grabbed his head and began trying to use her strength to crush his head. This was the right moment for Happy. He quickly jumped on top of Irene's head. The building gave away under the extra weight causing both dragons to fall but Natsu had wings so he just flew while Irene fell to her death. Natsu turned back into his human form as soon when he landed because he was tired and hurt from the fighting.

Meanwhile Juvia was climbing up to where Gray was as fast as she could.

"Gray hold on!" She called.

Gray felt his sleeve tearing, Happy quickly grabbed on to his fingers and held them for as long as he could but Gray was too heavy and he ended up falling. Juvia quickly ran to catch him but he ended up pulling her down with him. The two screamed and held each other as they slid down the wet rooftops.

"Oh Gray! We're going to fall!" Juvia screamed.

"I've got you Juvia! I won't let you go!" He assured her.

They used their feet to break the fall and right before they slid over the edge they stopped.

"What a relief we're alive." He sighed.

"Thank goodness." She also sighed.

After taking a few moments to catch their breath and stop their rapid heart beats they looked at each other.

"Is this a habit of yours? Falling off of stuff?" She asked with a giggle.

"Only when you're around to catch me." He smiled.

She put her hand to his cheek, he carressed her hair, and without any further hesitation their lips met in a passionate kiss. The rain continued to poor down on them but they didn't care, they were together now and nothing would ever part them again.

_"Ever ever after..."_

Lucy watched as Gray and Juvia kissed and held each other in the rain. She smiled, she was happy for them but she was also sad because she wondered if she would ever have the kind of love they had.

_"Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true_

_Deep down inside we wanna believe they still do."_

She went back inside the now empty building and found Juvia's discarded shoe on the floor. She picked it up and looked at it while feeling melancholic. Natsu came in too and noticed how upset she looked.

"Why so sad Lucy?" He asked her.

"She forgot her shoe. Figures." Lucy handed the shoe to Natsu. "May I?"

She lifted up the shirt of her dress and stuck out her leg. Natsu gently took her foot in his hand and easily slid the shoe on to her foot.

"It's a perfect fit." He said smiling.

_"And a secret is taught_

_It's our favorite part of the story_

_Let's just admit we all want to make it too_

_Ever ever after."_

"Lucy I have a confession to make. I'm actually glad that Juvia chose Gray."

"Why?"

"Because I just realized that this whole time I've been in love with someone else."

"Natsu." She said blushing in awe.

"Lucy you're the most incredible woman I've ever met and I can't see myself with anyone else but you. Will you do me the honor of returning with me to Alvarez and becoming my wife?"

Lucy smiled. At first she wasn't sure what to say. Did she love Natsu? Did she want to marry him? She thought about all the time they had spent together and how he made her laugh and feel like a princess. He was so different and so wonderful. She did love him and she wanted to be with him.

"Of course I will."

_"If we just don't get it our own way_

_Ever ever after_

_It may only be a wish away_

_Start a new fashion, wear your heart on your sleeve_

_Sometimes you reach what's realest by making believe."_

They kissed each other and then ran outside to the man hole with Happy following. Together they jumped down the hole and we're both transported back to Alvarez. A grand wedding was held with Natsu as the charming groom and Lucy as the lovely bride.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest said. "You may kiss the bride."

Lucy then pulled Natsu into a kiss of passion signifying that they were now husband and wife and eventually king and queen.

"Wow! You're one heck of a kisser." Natsu said when their lips parted.

"Thank you." She laughed.

"Congratulations pal!" Happy cheered as he threw rice on to the happy couple and released doves.

It was a perfect fairy tale wedding. After the honeymoon Natsu, Lucy, and Happy lived together in the castle ruling Alvarez justly and fairly just as King Igneel did before them.

_"Unafraid, unashamed_

_There is joy to be claimed in this world_

_You even might wind up being glad to be you."_

Back in Magnolia Laxus became a famous author, apparently people found the story of his time with Irene to be very interesting. Mirajane helped him edit the book and sell it, before long the two became partners in writing and selling novels.

_"Ever ever after_

_Though the world will tell you it's not smart_

_Ever ever after_

_The world can be yours if you let your heart_

_Believe in ever after."_

As for Gray and Juvia he became a marriage counselor to help out divorce couples and she got a job making dresses. They also began a romantic relationship and soon Gray and Juvia got married much to Wendy's joy. They spent their days playing games, telling stories, dancing, laughing, and just being a happy family.

"Here you go Wendy." Gray said handing her a wrapped up present.

Wendy unwrapped it to find that the gift was a box with holes. Something moved inside the box. She opened it and out popped a white kitten.

"Oh she's beautiful." She said hugging her pet. "I'm going to call her Carla."

"You like her?"

"I love her."

"Good. Hey what's that over there?" He pointed.

"What? Where?"

Wendy turned in the direction Gray pointed in and he immediately scooped her up and began tickling her.

"Ah! No! Stop!" She laughed. "Juvia help me!"

"Hold on I'm coming to recuse you!" Juvia giggled before coming to her sister in-law's rescue. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at Gray causing him to release her.

"Oh it's on now." He said.

Juvia and Wendy ran around the apartment with Gray chasing them. He picked up Wendy, grabbed Juvia by her waist, and started tickling the both of them. Their laughter echoed all through the apartment as they danced and played.

_"No wonder your heart feels it's flying, your head feels it's spinning_

_Each happy ending's a brand new beginning_

_Let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through_

_To ever ever after."_

When it got late Gray carried Wendy piggy back to  her bedroom and Juvia brought Carla in with them. Gray and Juvia tucked Wendy into bed, kissed her goodnight, and watched her fall asleep with Carla curled up next to her.

"She's so cute when she's asleep." Juvia said as the two of them went back to his bedroom.

"Yeah she is." Gray agreed.

"I told you that she would love the kitten."

"I just hope she can take care of it."

"She will."

Juvia looked down at the ring on her finger. It was the one that belonged to Gray's mother and it looked perfect on her. Marrying Gray and being with him and Wendy had made her happier than she had ever been in her entire life and she looked forward to spending every day with them. Gray was happy too. Happy that he finally allowed himself to love and be loved in return and get didn't care if it meant he could get hurt, it was worth it.

"Gray." She said.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They shared one last romantic kiss and embrace before going to sleep happy with the new life they had together. And so as you probably guessed, they all lived happily ever after.   
  
_"I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss..._

_Ohhh, for ever ever after."_

 


End file.
